Evening journal., 1907-08-28
Settled Out Of Court.
Gorisinail

whom l nave had legal quarrels Tor
yearsT
ANY woman Is more than a match
for man, especially for a superannu-
ated man. Let me see. You are forty
Eve. Bless me, you don't look itI He
is thirty years your senior. He'll not
live long"
Mrs. Peabody promised to think Of
the matter and was not long I'm taking
the attorneys advice. She wrote old
Goldman a letter, which she showed to
her niece, Elizabeth Ward, who lived |
with her, but the girl told her that II
was too cold. matter of fact and gen
orally unromnntic, whereupon the eld. /
er woman charged her niece 10 write /
such letter ns she would herself send |
TO a man she admired. The result was \
an epistle that warmed old Ephraim !
Goldman from the tips OF his toes to the
crown OF his hairless head. There was /
no business IN Il, but II tended to
bring about a conclusion Of the law
suit The letter was handed with the |
mornings mail 20 Mr.. Goldman by his |
grandson and heir, Louis. who acted |
as his secretary. Louis opened all let |
ters before submitting them. Indeed, |
he read Mrs Peabody'n to his grand
father, whose sight was inadequate 20
declpher q woman's handwriting. The
old man, fearing that a matrimonial
alliance might not plense his heir, un-
dertook TO make the reply himself, but
Louis intercepted the reply and sent
ono that he had written himself. For
reasons OF his own he poured out just
such words as he would write to his
own ladylove.
Then followed n correspondence that
would warm hearts frozen for centu-
rles. Miss Ward would write Mrs.
PeabOdy's letters. read them to her
aunt for approval and mail them.
"The old fool" the lady would ex-.
claim, Ito be caught by such chafl
It's lucky. Betty, l have you to write
these letters. / never could do Il In
the world" Then when the replies ar
rived It would be: How sickeningl
wonder IL he will expect me 70 listen
20 that rubbish when we are marriedl
However, he viii pay well for the
privilege. He is sure 10 win his case
IN the end. and that will bankrupt us;
4 whereas this marriage win make us
: rich. You'll be well paid for your let
ter writing. Betty. / shall settle 500
a year on you for dress"
"How generous you are, auntle! You
! are always thinking Of others; never Of
yourself"
And so the correspondence went on,
8 growing warmer the while, TIL at last
there came a proposition Of marriage.
In Il was nothing Of the business prop
osltion Mrs. Peabody had intended to
call forth. but an ardent love such as
young man would pour out TO a young
, girl. Il shall love you" the old man
said. "in your youth and cherish you
In your old age" The lady threw
down the letters, muttering mot in
my old age, you old fooll You'll be
under ground twenty years before I'm
an old womanw
When Miss Ward handed her aunt
the reply she had written Mrs. Peabody
commented on t. "If he were a young
man, Bett, Il would be lovely. There's
some excuse for him. after all, consid-
ering how sweetly you write"
Then came the arrangements for the
first meeting between the principals,
who had never met except IN court
where they had glared at each other
Mr.. Goldman wrote that he would call
at II IN the morning OF a certain day,
and since he was subject 70 tempo
rary indisposition his grandson would
accompany him.
Temporary indispositlonr ex-
claimed Mrs. Peabody. "He'll bring
his grandson to hold him upl Write
him that owing TO superabundance or
maidenly modesty shall have my
niece with me AT the meeting"
The girl. laughing merrily, iew away
TO write the last letter Of this unique
correspondence before an engagement,
and Mrs. Peabody went to her room
to prepare for the ordeal.
When Mr.. Codman's carriage drove
ND 10 Mrs. Peabody's door the sun was
shining. the birds were slnglng-indeed,
everything portended a betrothal OF a
youthful pair. Louis Goldman alight-
ed, got his grandfather out Of the car
rlage and supported him into the house
Mrs. Peabody and her niece received
them IN the drawing room. The old
man was trying TO say something gal
liant when his grandson interrupted
him,
Grandfather" said he, permit me
/ am about to make an announcement
10 you and Mrs. Peabody Jointly
When Mrs. Peabody's FIRST letter came
recognized In It the genuine freshness
OF a young girl. l answered 1t for It's
recipient in the same strain. Miss
Elizabeth Peabody and have beer
corresponding over the heads Of oul
elders, we have exchanged likenesses
and have frequently met. The propo
sition is to unite the separate interests
now pending. / have a few days ago
secured an order from the court ol
chancery placing the management Of
the Goldman estates In my hands OF
account of the falling health Of m.
grandfather. If the matter Is TO b
settled out Of court II must be settled
with me- Mrs Peabody. have th'
honor TO ask the hand Of your niece IL
marriage"
The old man cast a feeble inquirint
glance at his grandson, and Mrs. Pea
BODY uttered an exclamation OF relief.
"with all my heart" she exclaimed.
The septuagenarian cast anothel
feeble glance at his grandson and, plac
-. horI -. HE haorf said