The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1908-03-06

with a Jingle of her bangles. They've
done it aSain." +,
What AVE they done again?'' de-
manded the Mere Man. glancing up
with a start. drought on q
panic. or declared another WAY, or as
s~assinated another president OF"
They've made another anli-d,vorce
law, MIR. Porter" returned the Bachelor
Girl accusingly. "They'vc driven am
other nail into the dead wall of matri-
mony. They've put a new paddock on
the door and given the key an extra
twist. And 1t was already worse than
Il charity fair!"
How could anything be worse--,"
began the Mere Man.
Its cheaper md easier to get into"
explained the Bachelor Girl. pulling her
hatpins from among the marabout
feathers and putting them. one by 0ne.
between her little white teeth, land
more expensive to get out of. If they
want to abolish it altogether@'
But they DON'T demonstrated the
More Man. Its divorce they're trying
To abolish"
Howe" The Bachelor Girl spoke des-
by making it difficult and unattain-
able and a rare privilege"
by putting a high price and a pre-
y mum on 1t?"
Exactly. BY putting II U Of
reach"
And dangling it there tantalizingly,
like forbidden fruit or the Tantulus
cup?" scotfed the Bachelor Girl. If
they really want to stop divorce, why
don't they do that to matrimony? Why
don't they charge as much for a mar
yiage license as they do for-for---'
"A dog ~license?' suggested the Mere
man laConically.
Yes" agreed the Bachelor Girl, cor
n decree of separation. Why don't they
make us go into court and prove h a
we've a right to be married and swear
oaths and pay lawyers and tell our ages
and make afidavits as to ii DISPOSE
lions M our pasts and our presents
and our futures and our good inten-
tons and the size of IL Incomes and
\ our collars and the color of our char
acters II our eyes, as they do when
we want to be diVorced?"
II don't know Why" sighed the Mere
Man. And l don't know how any of
us could prove that we v a right TO
be married-unless," he added. with a
happy inspiration, I'VE could bring ref
erences from our former wives and hus-
bands or our old sweetlearts, Or"
THAT would be a good idea." broke
in the Bachelor Girl. a~pproNingly. TAX
ing the hatpins from her mouth and
jabbing them into the crown of the
marabout creation i'll her hands. III
we require a written character from u
mand one from n prospective wife and
husband? But 1t wouldn't be enough
she added. wrinllling her brows
1houghtfully above her small nose.
"And BESIDES" added the Mere Mar
renectively. I'VE might not b. able t.
get them-to recommend u.s."
No" said the Bachelor Girl, shaking
sler head decisively and leaning her CHR
In her hand, every marriage should be
a case for trial"
"Well-isn't it," inquired the Mere
Man promptly.
"A suit mean-"
"A suit-case!" exclaimed the Mere
Ma interestedly.
oh, dear me-" sighed the Bachelor
Girl. "if you're going TO try to be fun
NY and she waved her hands CON
~,emptuously.
Il wasn't" declared the Mere Ma
d~efensively. II was only trying te
make it come out"
''Whnt?"
Your dinlplc and-and your mean.
Ing"
II mean, explained the l3achelo,
Girl, trying to look naughty in spit,
of her nose. that two people who con,
template domestic bliss should be ar
raisned and tried by law for-for TIL,
offense. The man should he made IL
take an oath as to his income. his hab
its
And the ability of his constitution to
stand the strain,'' ~interpulated The
Mere Man del.isively.
And what he intended to demand
from his wife"
And what allowance he expected t.
give her, and how long he could wear :
pair of socks without daIning and how
hard he was on buttons and whether O.
not he snored"--
And instead of swearing that h.
loved her in a dusky conservatory
continued the Bachelor Girl imperturb
ably. with the waltz music deadenint
his voice and his conscience and NJ
witnesses, he ought to be forced t,
swear it in broad daylight and tn,
face of a cooleyed judge and jury. Will
his hand on the bible"
And indicted for perjury IL she eve
found out he'd been lyi g." rejoined tn.
Mere Man sarcastically.
"Of course agreed the Bachelor Cir
cheerfully. THAT would make men
little more careful about what the,
promised and a little less careless abou
ALL"
Help. help!" cried the Mere Man des
perately.
He should get a%hidavits.' continued
the Bachelor Girl, from his moth
II his aunts and the family servant,
SS ~ liz eCiipSA aiIA lie N4oDcalslcil LII
what time he usually got to bed nights
and whether or not he called for ic'
water in the mornings, and how h,
treated his sisters and-and"-
The family cat" suggested the Mer,
Man enthusiastically.
and bring in witnesses to testif.
that he never had been in love be
fore"-
WHAT
And" broke in the Mere Man des
perately. the girl ought to be mad
TO swear TO the truth about her age ant
to bring n written guarantee from tn
doctor as to the s]enuineness Of her com
plexion and a tailor's affidavit tina he
figure was her own and to exhibit sam
pies of her cooking and her brother
{ socks. and 70 testify on oath that sh
J neve had been kissed before"-
, WHAT"
And how many times added tn
! Mere Man maliciously. land whethe
, or not it was her fault if she hadn't''-
1 And wouldn't they both be SUI
prised%' gurgled the Bachelor Girl dc
lightedly.
l Not half so surprised as they AZ
J. now sighed the Mere Man, when the
: find out the truth
) by the time they got n license. they
!. be so wildly excited obout it, wer
, Oh the Bachelor Girl en~thusiasticall,
: that they'd fairly run all the way /