The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1911-01-27

arch wave of his cigar, mot just yet
Let US approach the subject with ths
caution that should have been used II
the original act that makes this pow
WOW necessary. There exists a mat
rimonial tumble to be Strengthened
out But before L give you names
want your honest-well, anyhow, youl
professional opinion on the merits OF
| the miX-up. l want you to size up the
| Observation-Disclosures under
stand? I'm Mr.. Nobody; and I've go'
a story to tell you. Then you say
| what's what. Do you get my wire
| less? ?"
you want to state a Hypothetical
case?" suggested Lawyer Gooch.
That's the word was after. 'Apoth
ecary' was the best shot l could make
at it in my mind. The hypothetical
goes. I'll state the case. Suppose
there's a woman-a deuced f1ne-look
ing woman-who has run away from
her husband and home? Shes badly
mashed on another man who went 10
her town to work up some real estate
business Now, we may as we'll call
this woman's husband Thomas X. Bill
ings, for that's his name. I'm giving
you straight tips on the cognomens.
The Lothario chap is Henry K. Jessup.
The Billingses lived in a little town
called Susanville-a good many miles
from here Now, Jessup leaves SUI
sanville two weeks ago. The next
day Mrs. Billings follows him. She's
dead gone on this man Jessup; you
can bet your law library on that"
Lawyer Gooch's client said this with
such unctuous satisfaction that even
the callous lawyer experienced
slight ripple of repulsion. He now
saw clearly in his fatuous visitor the
conceit of the lady-killer, the egoistic
complacency of the successful trif1er.
"Now," continued the visitor, "sup-
pose this Mrs. Billings wasn't happy at
home? Well say she and her husband
didn't gee worth a cent. They've got
incompatibility to burn. The things
she likes Billings wouldn't have as a
gift with trading stamps. It's Tabby
and Rover with them all the time.
She's an educated woman in science
and culture, and she reads things out
loud at meetings. Billings is not so.
He don't appreciate progress and ODE
lisks and ethics, and things OF that
sort. Old Billings is simply blink
when it comes to such things. The
lady is out-and-out above his class.
Now, lawyer, don't it look like fair
equalization of rights and wrongs that
a woman like that should be allowed
to throw down Billings and take the
man that can appreciate her?'
"Incompatibility," said Lawyer
Gooch, ''is undoubtedly the source of
much marital discord and unhappi-
ness. Where 1t is positively proven,
divorce would seem to be the equitable
remedy. Are you-excuse me-is this
man Jessup one to whom the lady may
safely trust her future?"
ooh, you can bet on Jessup," said
the client, with confident wag of his
head "Jessup's all right. He'll do
the square thing. Why, he left Susan
vile Just to keep people from talking
about Mrs. Billings. But she followed
him up, and now, of course, he'll stick
to her. When she gets divorce, all
legal and proper, Jessup will do the
proper thing"
"And now" said Lawyer Gooch,
continuing the hypothesis, if you pre-
fer, and supposing that my services
should be desired in the case, what
The client rose impulsively to his
feet.
ooh, dang the hypothetical bust
ness" he exclaimed, impatiently
Lets let her drop, and get down to
straight talk You ought to know who
l am by this time. 1 want that woman
to have her divorce. I'll pay for it.
The day you set Mrs. Billings free I'll
pay you five hundred dollars
Lawyer Gooch's client banged his
first upon the table to punctuate his
generosity.
eff that is the case" began the
lawyer.
Lady to see you, sir" bawled Ar
chibald, bouncing in from his ante,
nounce Immediately any client that
might come. There was no sense in
turning business away.
Lawyer Gooch took client number
one by the arm and led him suavely
into one, of the adjoining rooms. "Fa-
vcr me by remaining here few min
utes SIR he said Il will return and
resume our consultation with the least
possible delay. l am rather expecting
visit from a very wealthy old lady in
connection with a will will not keep
you waiting long"
The breezy gentleman seated him,
self with obliging acquiescence, and
took up magazine. The lawyer re-
turned to the middle office, carefully
closing behind him the connecting
door.
Show the lady in, Archibald,' he
said to the office boy, who was await
ing the order.
A tall lady, of commanding presence
and sternly handsome, entered the
room. She wore robes-robes: not
clothes-ample and fluent. In her eye
could be perceived the lambent fame
Of genius and soul. In her hand was q
green bag of the capacity of bushel
and an umbrella that also seemed tC
wear robe. ample and fluent. She &C
cepted a chair.
Are you Mr.. Phineas C. Gooch, the
| lawyer" she asked, in formal and I'm
conciliatory tones.
Il am" answered Lawyer Gooch
| without circumlocution. He never cir
cumlocuted when dealing with WON
an. Women circumlocute. Time is
wasted when both sides in a debate
employ the same tactics.
LAS lawyer, SIR" began the lady
! you may have acquired some knowl
| edge of the human heart. Do you be
| lieve that the pusillanimous and petty
| conventions of our artificial social life
should stand as an obstacle in the
| way of a noble and affectionate heart
when it finds its true mate among the
miserable and worthless wretches il