Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1907-03-09
"A LAWYERS STORY

"'Great Scott. Dld my parents ac-
fnally agree to separate. as this docu--
ment would indicate?"
"Precise'v. Don't you recognize the
signature forgot that the agree
ment was there when | allowed you
to 60 through those old files. 1t hap
pened long time ago, you know. But
the facts are good deal less serious
than your imaginings would probably
be-
Because of some memory the old
lawyer dropped into reverie and had
to be prompted before proceeding.
Lets see. Where was L? Oh, yes
well, they We're married and settled
down to farming. When you came to
review the case dispassionately they
never had any real trouble. In my
opinion she was given to talking too
much perhaps. On the other hand he
was too taciturn She spoke when 81
lence would have been better, and he
was silent when it would have been
promotive of peace for him to speak.
"When you come to review the bare
testimony it seems almost incredible
that they should have ever thought of
parting. But what may seem trifes
count for great deal in this world
"One article of their household outfit
was bright tin milking pail with
strainer attached. She liked to see it
hanging up as a kitchen ornament, but
without consulting her he appropria ted
1t to milk in. She sharply told him not
to do so again and added quite vol
unteer little discourse ON the rights of
a woman in running her household af-
fairs. That was where she talked too
much. He said nothing by way of ex-
PLANTATION Or Cancellation. That is
where he talked too little.
later the same evening they dis
agreed On the subject Of predestna-
ton, one greatly discussed at that time,
and next morning he used the tin milk
pail again. Then she reprimanded him.
"Your father was very fond of dogs
and had a fine one of the Newfound-
land breed The dog and his master
both detested cats. Your mother was
particularly partial to cats and had no
earthly use for dogs. She could keep
no cat because the dog would not per-
NIT it, and this afforded another bone
Of contention. They failed to agree as
On Sunday, and she talked about it
while he declined to talk, and his ST.
hence was construed as sullenness.
Meantime the tin pail was driving
them apart. A tin pail is small thing
In itself, but so is an apple, and you
know how it figured in an episode that
placed the trail of the serpent over us
all. -~.-~~, $50 =ssasssyss-,
Zone evening he sat down to mend
some harness in front of the sitting
room CRATE where she was knitting,
and she Informed him that the proper
place for such odoriferous employment
was in the kitchen. Then it was that
he calmly suggested that they did not
seem adapted to each other and that it
would probably be best for them to
live apart after dividing their posses
sions. She sarcastically stated that
they were at length in accord as to one
thing and dropped stitches while he
jammed the awl into his thumb.
''Then she delivered quite an opinion
on the subject of divorce, holding that
the only right thing for them to do was
to separate. the marriage bond remain
ing unimpaired. Again they agreed.
He said that they would better pro-
coed with as little notoriety as posi-
bic and asked what she thought Of me
as man to divide the property She
thought l would be fair, and that was
all she wanted.
both lay awake most Of the night.
Both would have liked to escape the
impending crisis. But both were proud,
In the morning he couldn't go to see
me because there was the balance of
the corn to husk, he said, and then he
went to do the milking in q wooden
pail
"She announced the next morning
that it would be impossible for her to
leave home because the cream would
spoil If she did not churn and get the
butter ready for market. Then she
patted the dog, he looking as mutely
surprised as did your father. The next
day they came. for neither had an e1-