Little Falls herald., 1914-11-13
By DWIGHT NORWOOD

does. Sne don't appear 10 gave EN-
mo- encouragement, though Ed Stumps
declared she give him lot Of 1t. He
come to me not long after she lighted
here and told me that he was goin'
to sue her for breach O. promise.
told him not to make a fool Of him
self, but he wouldn't listen to me and
went down to the county seat and put
the case in the hands of an attorney.
"First time I met the widder after
stumps sued her for blightin' his
affections l reckoned when I seen her
comm that shed look kind o. serious,
but she didn't. I said good mornin'
to her and asked her how her suit
was comm on, and she said 1t was
interestin'. The women generally sued
the men for breach Of promise, and she
reckoned she was the only woman in
the state that had ever been compN-
mented that way.
by crackey! She seemed to be
proud Of it. I asked her If she want
afeared Of havin' to pay a big sum.
and she said she'd be very much
mortified If the jury stuck her for
little one. Funny creatures women
are, aren't they?
when the trial come around I went
down to the courthouse. She was
there takin' care of her own case
She examined the men summoned for
Jurors herself, and you'd ought to
heard the questions she asked. 1t was
like this: Are you married or single.
Mr.. JonesT with that smile o. hern).
oh, a bachelor, eh? Were you ever in
love, Mr.. Jones? Have you proper
reverence for our sex? Do you think
that IL you were Tilted you'd consider
money an equivalent for your broken
heart? Mr.. Smith, you say you are
married. Happy match? Does your
wife ever git jealous7 How much do
you think would have repaid you IL
she had refused to marry you after
you had courted herr
: "And all the time she was talkin'
she just sot there and smiled. showin'
her white teeth between her rosy lips.
Some on ''em: she turned down, and
some on 'em she let through, but she
didn't take any time about It, which
ever way she decided. Nobody could
tell from her questions whether she
was goin' to turn a man down or let
him on to the Jury.
:: "When the twelve jurymen were
ready for work they was the most
self satisfied lot O. men ever see
together. They all settled themselves
down in their cheers as If they was
.goin' to have the time O. their lives.
The Judge, he looked cheerful too. The
plaintiffs counsel .apologized to the
defendant, but conscientionsly work
ed for his client. Whenever he said
: anything about the: wtdder's ropin'
him in she just laughed as though
she thought it very funny. And when
he read some soft solder she had
written the plaintifet she sat looktn'
'ats the jurymen with that smile 20
sher'n on her lips, andit= seemed to me
that every one Of !em couldn't help
Ethinkin' that she was sayin' IL to
him specially. ::r - s:.....::..
AZ when the lawyer got through the
.widder arose to make, her defense.
May it please Ethe# court, ,::and she
smiled at the Judge, When she said
'Eentlemen of Ifhe jury she spoke
tie word gentlemen ;:as though every
=eAeI on 'em haa been born In an ala
taster palace wfth$jeweled: doors and
windows. She said she'd have to
Ethrow herself on#the courts mercy.
because Mr.: stump ps=was 50: nice to
her she just couldn't help p5sayin' nice
things to him too. ==::::She:S:was awful
sorry about it all and really. thought
] hes ought to have consfdable Yerdic..
Inafact, If she'd been itch she'd 'patd
him: a large sum, seein she couldn't
zloVe, him, without conlpellin'. him to
take his case into rtts: 3: { ~ :
"Reckon this puzzled the: jury some
} They didn't seem to#know=I which way
to bring in the case::t to- the widder's
satisfaction. If they: allowed Stnmps
the $4,000 damages he claimed the
widder would have to pay IT. n they
! found for him with a:few cents dam
ages it wouldh,t be complimentary to
the widder. so.when the Judge gave
.''em the case they retired to the Jury
! room to talk Il over. They all agreed
on favorin' the defendant, but didn't
know how to favor her most. At last;
one ion 'em. a. oldish married man.:
i hit the nail on=the head. and they all:
went back tntoth courtroom feelin'
e'm.Your honor, said the foreman,
we've found for the @plainti6 with
100000 damages, but. owin' to sex-
teHuatin' circumstances recommend the
defendant to mercy. =s:..= -: .s5's.5 -:
1.-THE recommend was all the judge
wanted. He remitted ihe damages
and discharged the defendant with
tie injunction that she =slt married
and stop stirrin' up the mes.
S, i; ;;:seome says she's goin' - take tho
Judge at his word. Anyway, he's been
rceurfin' the widder ever since. But
You never kin tell about what win.