Omaha daily bee., 1908-11-29
ODD EXCUSES FOR DIVORCES
Reasons Given by Mismated
Couples for Seeking Legal
Separation.

Divorces may be obtained with greater or
less ease, depending on the locality, nature
or grievances, unanimity of opinion, prac-
tice of the court and other circumstance
and conditions. The grounds for separation
are based on reasons and excuses of which
the latter are perhaps the more common.
After an excuse has been mentally housed
for a sufficient period it becomes a reason,
or, failing in that. it generates a reason on
the other side. Since the result is the
same, the variation is not material.
In two cases recently dragged into pub
licity, strange as 1t may seem, the allega-
tions were that the offending spouse was
too religious. It had hitherto been sup
posed there could not be too much of that
commodity to cement family structure, but
in two cases at least, II complaints are to
be believed, the devotional atmosphere be-
came too heavy.
In the two cited, Tessie Brennan and
John Hancy are alleged to have devoted
too much attention to spiritual things,
which greatly grieved their matrimonial OPP
posites. Tessie lives in st. Louis and John
in South Dakota, and so far as Is known
they have never met one another. They
are brought into close proximity merely
because of their happening to be in the
same boat, as it were. There is this diff
ference, however, that Tess.e is complaining
because her husband made fun of her de-
votions. while in the South Dakota case
John Is the defendant. Johns wife has
obtained the separation she asks; Tessie
is awaiting the courts decree.
Tessie-or Mrs. Brennan. as she should
perhaps be c~alled-alleges the most surpris-
ing conduct on the part of Clifton, her
h,,.banA To saApo shau had haan p1arrtad
only six months when he began to become
annoying. He would laugh at her when he
found her reading the Bible and would tell
her 1t was no better than a novel. At other
times he would accuse her of being hypo-
critical and would mock her. She stood
this until ono morning he snatched a
prayer book from her hand just as she was
dressed ready for church, and that capped
the climax. She left him.
There IS little to laugh at In the home
dissertation OF the Brennans and Clifton
shows as no hero according to the evil
dence. In the case of the Hancy imbroglio
there is a humorous side that cannot be
overlooked. Mrs. Hancy asked for a d.
vorce because she could not stand Johns
everlasting praying, she said:
"I was the victim of two matchmaking
families" she told the court. but IT took
me only five weeks to get enough OF my
husbands preaching"
II appears that John Hancy wore a long
face about the house whenever he hap
pened to be there. which was rather more
frequently than desirable. Whenever Mrs.
Hancy looked out of the window and re-
marked that the sky was blue John in a
lugubrious tone would reply that all things
were vanity and that life was short. II
the devoted wife happened to mention mil
linery and the prefail'ng shades John was
almost certain to moralize on the sinfulness
OF human ornament. on one point, how
ever. John Hancy was at least consistent,
he gave a third of Lis income 10 the
church. That must be truA because Mrs
Hanoy says II herself,
"He did give that much to the church.
she remarked tearfully. but 1 had TO suf-
fer deprivation because OF IT, Besides. he
prayed every night for the soul OF his
wicked wife. and / am just as good as he
ISL
Il Is understood that as soon as all the
little odd and ends of the proceedings are