The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1909-08-23
A COURT ROMANCE.

There are no apple blossoms in this
story. The hero is not handsome nor
tall The heroine is not beautiful nor
are her features finely chiseled The
reader, having fair warning, proceeds
at his own risk.
1t was Monday morning in police
court, The door OF the building open
ed, and, in response to the name john
Cleveland, a red-haired man OF 40
l!mped out. On his face was a stubble
OF beard His head was partly bald.
He carried his greasy cap in his hand
he was charged with having remos-
ed vegetable matter from the city in
his wagon. the same being concealed
under Il covering OF manure. This
crime. while not heinous, was in yio-
lation of an ordinance recently passed
giving the monopoly of garbage haul
ing to certain great and rich CON
| tractor.
| Mr.. Cleveland defended himself
with some vigor. He had an honor
able record Of 20 years in the gar
bage business, and. since the ordi-
| nance, had abandoned the vegetable
| end OF his profession and confined his
studies exclusively to manure, ashes,
| tin cans, bottles and the Ike. His
tone carried conviction and he was
discharged.
The next name was Lizzie Bowers
1t is customary to hear a light foot
on the stair at this point The por-
tiers also have way OF parting 10
admit the vision Of beautiful girl
Not so here. Lizzie entered In charge
OF the matron. She was portly. ~
or 50 years old, and wore much
soi!ed black dEess. The hands which
she rested on the judges desk were
large ana work-worn. She lost no
time in singing the epic of her limo.
cence. She pronounced it an outrage
that IAN honest, hard working woman
can't step into drug store for bit
of medicine for cold that she's had
goin' on two weeks-two weeks this
coming Thursday, without being TAX
a dirty police station"
dirty olice station"
Now, the fact that Lizzie was a
working woman was well known
But this was not the first visit she
had made to the court, fact which
the judge pointed out kindly but firm
ty Then he remarked;
II think. the matron can use you
for a few days in her department"
He was about to write the fatal
words in the big book, and Lizzie was
between tears and pleading, when a
big, strong, masculine voice interrupt
I'd
Yer honor" it said.
The court looked up to see John |
Cleveland standing before the bar a
policeman moved to eject him, but |
The judge ordered him to be let alone. |
Yer honor continued John Cleve-
land. II know the lady and I'll |
guarantee that she'll be all right If |
youll let her so. I've knowed her a |
long time. She's a good, honest wo-
man" :.
The court was in good humor. The
court liked to be known as d good |
court. humane court.
Mrs. Bowers is discharged"
There were tears in the womans
eyes as she turned Then she NOV
ed impulsively to where John Cleve-
land still stood, and grasped his
hands.
0, ye, who think that love is not
for the old and poor. could you but
have seen the look that passed be-
tween them. Then they left the court
room.
Il don't want you to think that
IN that kind of a woman said Mrs.
Bowers when they we're on the street.
You know | don't Lizzie" he
said, and | defy any gallant young
man to put conviction more into his
words to the most lovely young wo-
nan.
Il must hurry to my work now"
said Mrs. Bowers.
John Cleveland took her hand
again
Lizzie, I've got a nice little place
With garden and chickens and
.hings. But | amt much good at
cooking. Guess you'd be scared just
o look at my kitchen. | need "a
You know what mean.
want you. / want you to marry me-"
II was just a week later wnen |
noticed the licenses published in an
.vening paper: John Cleveland, As;
drs. Elizabeth Bowers. 44."-A. r.
iroh.
Clock Made of Ricveles