The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-01-09
An Able Advocate

ciatioh.l
This IL the true story Of how Pro
fessor Driesback got his wife
Professor Herman Driesback, bota
mist. seeking specimens In Arizona,
rode up TO a tavern, hitched his horse
to post, went into the house aud
called for something to eat. TO say
that the professor was engrossed In
his profession to the exclusion Of all
else is TO convey but a faint idea Of
his enthrallment.
But the moment had come when an.
other Kind of fora crossed Professor
Drlesbnck's path to turn his mind tenn
porarily I'm a new channel. While he
was sitting at table eating his dinner
and thinking on the latest varieties of
plants he had picked up n girl In a
short skirt, cowhlde boots, buckskin
leggings ana sonNrego entered the
room and. depostirg a rife In q cor
ner sat down at the table opposite the
man OF science.
"Mornin', stranger" she said. Don't
know who you are, but I'm Kate Me-
CIennon, ranchmans daughter Who
are youf"
Professor Herman DriesbaCk of -
| university, at your service"
Now, the professor was thirty-two
years of age and, although he wore
spectacles, had pair Of mild blue
eyes behind them, with which he look
ed at Kate McClennon. If Kate was II
revelation to the professor the pro-
| fessor was a revelation to Kate, whose
gentlemen admirers had thus far been
! made up Of cowboys. gamblers and
such like rude material The acqualnt-
ance develops more rapidly than GRO
cuses in springtlme. After the meal
both arose. The girl took her rifle, and
| they went out to where the professor
had hitched his horse Learning that
the girl was going his way. he offered
her seat in his rattletrap buggy
| which she accepted, and they took
:heir departure In company.
They had not gone mile when
there was clatter Of horses hOofs
behind, shot over their heads. and
| before the young woman could get her
| rifle In position for defense a man
rode up, crying:
Halt, you horse thief"
Now, that the professor was horse
thief was proved by his own state
ment When asked the color Of his
horse he frankly avowed that he was
black, while the hue of the nag he
was driving was white.
1t didn't take the people thereabouts
long to collect n jury of twelve good
and true men to try the professor.
There were no lawyers In those parts,
but Professor Driesbach was assigned
counsel In the person of Il cowpuncher
who had spent three months in town
lawyers office. The professor was
permitted to make his statement He
said he had driven up to the tavern,
hltched his horse, gone out, got into
his buggy and driven away. But since
meanwhile his horse had changed
from black to white his story did not
impress people who had heard much
more probable stories from horse steal.
ers. His counsel was stumbling along
with cock and n bull story $50 it was
consldered) Of real horse thief hav.
ing taken the prisoners good black
horse and substituted poor white
one when Kate McClennon took Il
hand In the proceedings.
"What do you rOosters mean any.
way? | know this here gentleman aud
have known him since he was a kid
Him and me used to play together II
his mothers yard back in Missouri"
Professor Driesbach opened his eyes
"When i.a was six years old" con.
tlnued his advocate, "he had a fit
After that he kept having fits. Then
he began to steal things. Mother
couldn't keep anything In the cubbard
but he'd come in and steal 1t. And
couldn't save any pennies because he'd
git 'em In spite of all | could do tC
hide 'em. DO you s'pose | told on hin
and got him licked? Not much
Whatd / want to git kid that had
fits and scarlet fever and spinal menin
gifts into trouble for?r
The professor held his breath II
amaZement
"And how could any one handicap
ped this way us a boy expect to make
man of himself? or course he's q
horse thief, and any one Of you who'd
had chicken pox and measles ant
mumps and fits when you was boy
would make horse thief yourselve,
when you grew up. This here prisoner
throws himself on the mercy of the
court"
Before the plea was half finished tn,
minds of the jurymen were made up
and Professor Driesback was acqult
ted without their leaving the boards
on which they sat,
After the verdict the court, the ac
quilted man, his attorneys and tn,
spectators went outside and were
about TO disperse when n couple O
mounted men We're seen driving
man on n black horse before them a
the points Of their revolvers. The
came up and stopped before the crowd
Good gracious" exclaimed the pro
fessor that's my horse" Then to tn,
man on his back, "Where did you fin,
himg'
II a