The herald., 1914-02-12
A Breach of
Promise Case
By DWIGHT NORWOOD

GOOD morning. Mr.. Beasley." she
said cheerily.
"Mornin'. Mrs. Chambers" replied
Beasley.
"What a pretty woman" I remark
ed, land what a pleasant smileg'
"WelI. rather" said Beasley. THAT
smile is capable o. bowlin' over a hull
regiment O men,"
"How does she do it?'
Just smiles at 'em; that's all she
does. She don't appear to give 'em
no 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 be 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 | met the wilder after
Stumps sued her for blightin' his
affections | reckoned when | seen her
comm that she'd look kind o. serious,
but she didn't. 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 compli-
mented that way.
"By crackey! She seemed to be
nf CHI s.'k
afeared of havln' to pay big sum.
and she said she'd be very much
mortified II 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. her'n).
oh, a bachelor, eh? Were you ever in
love. Mr. Jones? Have you a proper
reverence for our sex2 Do you think
that II 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 jealous? How much do
you think would have repaid you If
she had refused to marry you after
you had courted herr
"And all the time she was talkin'
she just sot there and smiled, shown
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 1t, 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 l ever see
together They all settled themselves
down In their cheers as II they was
goin' to have the time o. their lives.
The Judge. he looked cheerful too. The
plaintiffs counsel apologized to the
defendant. but conscientiously work
ed for his client Whenever he said
ANYTHING about the widder'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 plaintiff she sat lookin'
at the jurymen with that smile o
her'n on her lips, and 1t seemed to me
that every one of 'em couldn't help
thinkin' that she was sayin' 1t to
him specially.
when the lawyer got through the
widder arose to make her defense
May it please the court and she
smiled at the judge. When she said
Gentlemen Of the jury she spoke
the word gentlemen as though every
one on 'em had been born in an ala
baster palace with Jeweled doors and
windows. She said she'd have to
throw herself on the courts mercy
because Mr.. Stumps was so nice to
her she just couldn't help sayin' nice
things to him too. She was awfu
sorry about II all and really though,
he ought to have a considerable verde
IN IdCC, III sue u Deeu ElCu SuC VI PeAN
him a large sum. seem she couldn',
love him, without compellin' him tc
take his case into court
Reckon this puzzled the jury some
They didn't seem to know which wa!
to bring In the case to the widder''
satisfaction. II they allowed Stump'
the $4,000 damages he claimed tn
wilder would have to pay It IL the!
found for him with a few cents dam
ages 1t wouldn't be complimentary Il
the wilder So when the judge gave
'em the case they retired to the 1ur.
room to talk It over. They all agrees
on favorin' the defendant. but didn'
know how to favor her most At las
one on 'em. an oldish married man
hit the nail on the head. and they a.
went back into the courtroom feelir
frst rate.
"'Your honor said the foreman
we've found for the plaintiff wit
100000 damages, but OWN to eS
tenuatin' circumstances recommend tn
defendant to mercy
THE recommend was all the judg
wanted He RENTED the damage
and discharped the defendant wit