The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-10-23
The Evening Story
HER LEGAL LORE.

Ellen was a double pointed thorn to
her family. At twenty-four she stu
! law and hung out 4 shingle. No
clients came. II since an indulgent
father kept Ser from starving or the
necessity of wearing shabby clothes.
she pleasantly spent her life looking
after poor people who needed legal
services but couldn't afford to pay for
any. They were not always grateful,
and sometimes more eXacting than
n would have dared to be with a
lawyer whom they had to recompense
Tor his troubled Eut Ellen persisted
IN being kind to them and blithcly
said that she did mo- do it for graft.
tude.( Ellen would have been pretty
II she had worn her thick. wavy brown
mar In anything but a fiat, compress
ed Knot that took only three minutes
10 arrange--and looked it. her BROTH
ers n sisters commented bitterly
and discarded her unbecoming spect-
acleS in favor Of the smarter eye
glasses. and when pretty dresses in
stead OF straight up-and-down coats
and why cloth skirts that she affected.
hiien' When she shopped. found ma.
terial that wouldn't show dust and
didn't need much pressing and BRUSH
ing.
Ellen ignored criticism and went on
ner u~nconcerned way. But when she
got generous damages for the .Iimsons.
VINO were evicted by Il peevish land
!ord tor non-payment of rent, and
!neS VI broadcast that they would
nave got sWice as much is they'd had
q man lawyer. she was a bit annoy
cd. Ellen had paid the court costs out
OF her own pocket and given intact to
mem the amount rendered. Moreover.
II nad been a great triumph to get a
verdict at all when the landlord clear
~ mad heen within his rights. Ellen
mad outraged her conscience and ex.
aseerated Mrs. Jimson's slight illness
at the tlme of tho eviction till that
laoS nad become seriously alarmed
over her hitherto unrealized lack of
health. But Ellen forgave them for
their ingratitude. rejecting that they
were poor. ignorant souls. dwarfed
mentally by poverty and narrow en-
vironment.
When. however. sho got a divorce
for Mrs. Pansky. whose husband
starved. beat. swore at. and deserted
her periodically-so Mrs. Pansky and
all the neighbors vowed-and Mrs.
Pansky snivelcd in court and the very
next day remarked that h~rowbeatins
brute. saying to him in extenuation
that she'd never thought Of getting a
divorce il meddlers hadn't talked her
into it. why. Ellen was disheartened.
h remained at home for two weeks.
tool a lesson in embroidering. bought
some novels and finally allowed her
sister Jen to fix her hair very nicely
for dinner n evening when Mr.. Vail
ly. a friend Of Jim, Jen's fance. was
invited.
Mr.. vailly proved to he a lawyer.
He looked at Ellen a trine askance
when he learned that she also belong
ed to the profession. Busy" he ask
ed.
She fancied that the tone was pa
ronizins and mortifedly replied: Not
just now. but next week."
What sort Of a case?"
Not having my special case. Ellen
murmured an inaudible reply and
changed the subject. Mr.. vailly did
not smile. but there was a genial
gleam' i'll his y c as though he would
like to: smile. Ellen. furious, made
up her mind that she would locate
q case ny moo the next day II she