Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-06-06
- Marked, .i', !,
= II OiJcrepQncY.

i bad known Mrs. Anita, Meriyale
ten years when she surprised me by
calling at my Office, to see. me on pro-
fessional business! She surprised me
more by announcing that she wished
my services in getting a divorce from
Tom Merivale, her husband = O.
,Ilhad supposed the Merivales were
getting on very we'll together, but such
supposition was dispelled by what
Mrs. Merivale told me about their mar
.ried life. from hEr standpoint there
was nothing whats ler, of good in her
husband. He; was ,niggardly with her
about everything He never. took her
to amusemeT1tS, never gave her, pres,
ents and beat; her down to iridicuL
lousy small sums fin the matter of
dress He. did whatever she, disliked,
no matter If he, were cognizant,of that
dislike, He. would read his newspaper
at the breakfast table, though she had
frequently told him that such conduct
was abhofrent to hef. Though every
matchbox in sthen house was provided:
with a receptacle for burnt matches,
be would throw them anywhere and
everywhere. His cigar ashes he threw
on the floor. These and many other
shortcomings pertaining to the 'hus-i
bandjI rhade'a list of, and when they
were alliinOI confess the list was not
especially formidable and by no means
warranted the words with which Il,
closed. the plea, '.And the said Thomas
b. IMeriSale. has made her life a, bur-
def and altogether miserable. "o3f}isn
j had known Meriraie, though not SO
Intimately as his Wife and, regarded
him very Igood fellowIa ] concluded,
to send .for him and haYefa talk with
him; hoping that the matter might be
settled out of court, OF possibly :. ]
might effect reconciliation. He, was
surprised that his wife had gone SO
far sasi to- seek asdfvorcaoi Indeed. he
was, not; aware that shef felt herself
especially aggFteyed:J ]. told him, that
Ir,wpuld take any course he. might sug-
gest with a view to satisfying bis wife.
and he, asked me to delay, filing. the
papers as, long as possible. :. On his
promise not to take amy legal action
i
.tOne morning. took up a paper and
read an account Of terrible railroad
accident. J., started at, seeing among
the list Of killed the name Of Thomas
D.. Merivaie. THAT ends the matter"
/ said to- myself, Between Merivale
and his wife. This Is a decree Of tdi-
vorce that mo earthly court icane gain
say, Nnf mij0 Mons ti.C). .enu3
A week later, while was at my Of
fee. Mrs. Merfvale was announced;
She was dressed ,ipi mourning. and
seemed to be in deep grief, her ;sor7
row appeared to be genuine
81 presume" / said. that you have
come to announce that since your hus-
bands death you will not need my
services"
81 have come to say that will need
your services, but for different pur-
pose from the one for which they
have been engaged How far have you
proceeded with the divorceY
81 lhave not filed the papers"
destroy them. 1 wish you to make
others. am advised to sue the rail-
1OT.
1 repressed a smile. AS for my
client, she did not see the ludicrous
feature of the situation.
"How much will you claim?I
"They say l should have 100000.
Tom had large salary that dies with
him. The interest ON 100000 at 5 per
cent would be $4,000. Tom spent at
least that on me, and suppose In law
am entitled to what I lose.Y
1 made a new set OF papers which
lrecited the great benefits the life Of
Thomas d. Merivale conferred on his
loving wife, Anita Merivale; that be
was In all respects a liberal and de-
voted husband and that the bereave-
ment was crushing sorrow.
The papers were signed, sealed and
sworn to when the door opened. and
who should appear but -''the said''
Thomas D. Merivale Mrs. Merivale,
Notwithstanding her eye to the main
chance, showed that her statement
concerning her bereavement was truth
full by falling in faint, from which
she soon revived.
AllGI dO " lnS L14SId
they had made in naming Merivale
among the dead he asked his wife
what she was doing in my office, She
prevaricated. Merivale called upon me
to produce any papers I might have
drawn for his wife. At a knowing look
from him complied. He read first the
divorce papers, then the application
for damages. Then, looking up at his
wife, he said: ji'seth. 5G js-Il GI2
{, There is "a Slight discrepancy, in
these papers Which am 1 to consider
a correct statement?' ,TEgf
Mrs. Merivale was cornered.
"H'mY' said Merivale, Z looking from
one paper to the other and reading,
"tAnd the said Thomas d. Merivale
has made her life a burden and alto
gether miserable" then, "'That he
was In all respects q. liberal and de-
voted, husband, and the bereavement is
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