The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1914-02-27
A Breach Of
Promise Case
By DWIGHT NORWOOD

.rIA.
While talking With Farmer Beasley
a young woman in widows weeds
came tripping along the road.
Good morning. Mr.. Beasley." she
said cheerily.
"Mornin'. Mrs. Chambers" replied
Beasley.
What a pretty woman" l remark
ed, land what a pleasant smiler'
"Well. rather" said Beasley. THAT
smile Is capable O. bowlin' over a hull
regiment O. men,
"H0w 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 a lot Of it. He
come to me not long after she lighted
here and told me that he was goin'
to II her for breach o promise. ]
told him not to make a fool Of him
self. but he wouldn't listen to MI and
went down to the county seat and put
the cas- In the hands Of an attorney.
First time I met the wilder after
Stumps sued her for blightin' his
affections l reckoned when l seer her
comm that she'd 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 It was
%lnterestin'. The women generally sued
the men for breach Of promise. and she
poolronoA che mao Tho ouIv -runn~ e~
the state that had ever been compi.
mented that way.
by crackey! She seemed to he
proud Of 1t. asked her II she want
afeared Of havin' to pay a big SUN.
and she said she'd be very much
mortified II the jury stuck her for q
little one. Funny creatures women
are aren't they7
when the trial come around l went
down to the courthouse. She was
there takin' carr Of her own case.
She examined the men summoned for
Jurors herself. and you'd ought to
heard the questions she asked. It wa
like this: Are you married or single.
MI. Jones?' with that smile o her'nl.
oh. a bachelor. eh? Were you eve in
love. Mr.. Jones? Have you a proper
reverence for VI sex? Do you think
that If 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 vel git Jealous? How much do
you think would have repaid you II
she had refused to marry yon after
you had courted her?'
"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 I ever see
together. They all settled themselves
down in their cheers ~ II they was
.aoin'. to have the. time % their lives.
The Judge. he looked cheerful too. The
plaintiffs counsel apologized to the.
defendant. but conscientiousiy work
ed for his client. Whenever he said
anything about the wldder's ropin'
him in she just laughed a q though
she thought 1t very funny. And when
he read some soft solder she had
written the plaintiff she sat lookin'
at the jurymen with that smile q
her'n on her lips. and 1t seemed to me
that every one Of 'em couldn't, help
thinkiu' that ahe was savin' Il to
him specially.
"Whrn the lawyer got through the
widdcr 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
haster 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
Ter she Just couldn't help sayii' nice
things to him too. She was awful
sorry about 1t all and really thought
he ought to have a considerable verdic'.
In fact. II shed been rich she'd "a paid
him q large sum. seem she couldn't
love him. without compellin' him to
take his case into court.
Reckon this puzzled the jury some.
They didn't seem to know which way
to bring In the a to the widder's
satisfaction. If they allowed stumps
the $4,000 damages be claimed the
wilder would have to pay It. II they
found for him with a few cents dam
ages it wouldn't be complimentary to
the wilder. So when the judge gave
'em the case they retired to the Jury
room to talk It over. They all agreed
on favorin' the defendant. but didn't
know how to favor her most At last
one on 'em. an .oldish married man..
hH the mail on the head..sand they all
went back into the conrtrooin feelins
irst rate.
".Your honor said the foreman
So i. E&r aAN 49, A-aH &E-1AA