Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-08-05

If Sue objected 10 juror she said.
.'Oh, no, NOT the slightest" and smiled.
just smiled at him; that's all she need
ed to do to make sure that he would
find a verdict for her.
For my part. l found temporary
antidote In my professional position
/ became absorbed in my work of plac
ing my evidence before the jury in its
most favorable light. Though | say IL
myself, did my work well and made
a very strong case. AS for the defense.
there was no defense made worthy Of
the name. But all the while the widow
sat in the presence of the court and
smiled. If the judge was called upon
to make a ruling she smiled at him
and he ruled in her favor. If ] was
making a strong point against her she
smiled at me and I desisted: she
smiled at the jury. the spectators. the
reporters-any one. every one in the
courtroom.
When the evidence was all In and
the rebuttal had been made-or, rath-
er, had not been made-the case was
submitted to the jury. ] knew before
they retired that the widow had made
the impression on them. as she had on
every one, that the whole affair was a
farce, besides having captivated them
They were out ten minutes and re-
turned, finding for the plaintiff ane
awarding a damage of cents.
very small sum to pay for a bro
ken heart
When the widow left the courtroom
IN ~ nd hnrUad
her as she passed out. She smiled on
US all. 1t was not smile of triumph;
it was smile of good will. Any other
kind than the latter was not to be
conceived Of from this woman. who
seemed to possess a heart big enough
to take in all mankind.
The matter being settled. saw no
reason why / should not call upon
Mrs. Alvord. AS l entered ! met her
attorney coming out. he looked like
man bent on suicide. Strange to say.
his condition did not prevent me from
taking his place. proposing TO the wild
ow and receiving IN reply a smile and
a refusal. ! had not got block away
from the house when I saw the judge
who had conducted the trial walking
IN the direction from which I had
come. l knew that ne was going to
follow in my footsteps and to meet the
same fate. I could not learn that any
Of the jurymen tumbled in on me and
the judge. but none OF them had any
acquaintance with the widow.
A few days after the trial and our
defeat Jorbert came into my Office TO
settle up. He was the only man con-
nected with the case who had had no
connection with it except to bring the
suit. OF all of us he seemed in the
most contemplate position. The jury
had virtually snubbed him by decid-
ing in his favor and assuming that his
broken heart was worth but two cents.
But he showed no modification at his
defeat ! assumed that, having done
the best he could to show the con-
domination of the woman who had en-
shared him, he was content to let the
matter rest. He paid my charges and
went away.
Soon after this ( received a note
from Mrs. Alvord asking me If there
would be an appeal. 1 replied that /
had not received from my client any
VI SuCu. LIS OlOhShL al
other note in which the writer said
that If the plaintiff thought Of max
ing an appeal she would prefer that
he make it to her instead of in the
courts.
At last after all this fuss. after win
ming over not only her opponents
counsel myself, but judge and jury,
this woman had shown her colors.
Cramming back my feelings, sent my
client the note.
He wrote me a reply directing me
to inform the late defendant TO his
suit that, having shown her methods
to the world as a caution signal to all
young men. he had no further interest
in the affair.
This was my last official act in the
case. The widow went back to the
city engaged to the plaintiff and is
now Mrs. Jorbert.