Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1908-08-28
a Married
Discrepancy.
loriginal.l

4Ou h1tTiNdlt, neI uuSDduu.
had supposed the Merivales were
getting ON very well together, but such
a supposition was dispelled by what
Mrs. Merivale told me about their mar
ried life. From her standpoint there
was nothing whatever of good In her
husband. He was niggardly with her
about everything. He never took her
to amusements, never gave her pres
ents and beat her down to a ridicu.
lousy small sum In the matter of
dress. He did whatever she disliked,
no matter IL 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 abhorrent to her. Though every
matchbox in the house was provided
with a receptacle for burnt matches,
he would throw them anywhere and
everywhere. His cigar ashes he threw
on the floor. These and many other
shortcomings pertaining to the hus-
band I made a list of, and when they
were all In | confess the list was not
especially formidable and by no means
warranted the words with which ]
closed the plea, "And the said Thomas
ID. Merivale has made her life a bur.
den and altogether miserable"
l had known Merivale, though not SC
intimately as his wife, and regarded
him a very good fellow. I concluded
to send for him and have a talk with
him. hoping that the matter might be
settled out of court, or possibly j
might effect a reconciliation. He was
surprised that his wife had gone SO
far as to seek a divorce. Indeed, he
was not aware that she felt herself
especially aggrieved. I told him that
l would take any course he might sug
gest with a view to satisfying his wife,
and he asked me to delay fling the
papers as long al possible. On bis
promise not to take any legal action
himself I consented.
One morning l took up a paper and
read an account of a terrible railroad
accident. / started at seeing among
the list of killed the name of Thomas
D. Merivale. THAT ends the matter"
l said to myself. between Merivale
and his wife. This Is a decree of di
vorce that no earthly court can gain.
say"
A week later, while l was at my OF.
nee, Mrs. Merivale was announced
She was dressed in mourning and
seemed to be in deep grief. Her sor
row appeared to be genuine.
81 presume" l said, that you have
come to announce that since your hus-
bands death you will not need my
services"
II have come to say that l will need
your services. but for q different pur
pose from the one for which they
have been engaged. How far have you
proceeded with the divorceY'
81 have not filed the papers"
destroy them. l wish you to make
others. I am advised to sue the rail.
road company for damages"
l repressed a smile. AS for my
client, she did not see the ludicrous
feature of the situation.
"How much will you claimY"
"They say I should have 100000.
Tom had a large salary that dies with
him. The interest on 100000 at 8 pc
cent would be 5000. Tom spent at
least that on me. and suppose In law
/ am entitled to what / lose"
l made a new set Of papers which
recited the great benefits the life Of
Thomas D. Merivale conferred on his
loving wife, Anita Merivale; that he
was In all respects a liberal and de-
voted husband and that the bereave-
ment vas a 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 a faint, from which
she soon revived.
After explanations as to the mistake
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 / might have
drawn for his wife. At a knowing look
from him I complied. He read first the
divorce papers. then the application
for damages. Then, looking up at his
wife, he said:
There Is a slight discrepancy In
these papers. Which am l to consider
a correct statementY"
Mrs. Merivale was cornered.
"H'm!" said Merivale, looking from
n paper to the other and reading.
"'And the said Thomas d. Merivale
has made her life a burden and alto
gether miserable" then, ""That he
was in all respects a liberal and de-
voted husband, and the bereavement is
a crushing SORROW"
Mrs. Merivale buried her face In her
hands, and her husband looked at me
and-winked.
Presently Mrs. Merivale sprang up,
threw her arms about her husbands
-&AV 81 a. -