The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1915-07-15
A Valued
Legal Fee
By CHARLES LEWIS PHIPPS

/ one day expressed a wish that he
calling he told me the following story:
A couple one day anne into my office
to ask me If I would not get a divorce
for them. There was every reason,
judging from appearance, why they
should not be divorced. The man was
twenty-five or twenty-three years old,
the woman about twenty, and she car
ried a child In her arms perhaps q
year old, a bright little chap who took
in everything with wondering eyes.
They were Of the poorer class, as was
indicated by their dress.
I'VE want a divorce" said the man,
because we can't live together In
peace. She's always nagging me be-
cause l don't make more money to
make US comfortable"
"What is your complaintT' 1 asked
the woman.
II have to scratch all day long to
make ends meet l can't go out to
earn anything on account Of the child,
who needs 81 much care that | can't
even get time to do the homework. If
/ could be independent l might mako
plans. 1 could put the boy in some
institution where / would be relieved
of his care and earn enough to support
myself in peace without this eternal
pickering"
l invited them to be seated. The
boy could stand, but was not yet able
to walk. He stood by his mother,
steadying himself by holding on to her
dress, holding her attention every min
ute. I thought that If l were subject
ed TO such a strain l should soon go to
a sanitarium.
81 don't see," / said, that a divorce
will help you two, and l do see that
you are giving up a good deal Of hap
piness from some cause which it is
quite possible 10 rectify. You both
have a blessing which has been denied
me. 1 would give $4,000 for a boy
like that if he were my SON."
Would your asked the woman a
change coming over her face and look
ing from me to her child with pleas
IRE. The man said nothing, but saw
that my remark had struck home.
What can you do to make a liying?'
I asked the man. SIS
I'm a gardener" "
"a gardener l repeated. "a man
whose work is in the open air, trim
ming hedges. turning up the fresh
earth in. the spring to make a place
for flowers. When the grass gets too
Z high he runs a lawn mower over 1t
Why. do you know that l I'M joyfully
anticipating half an hours work cut
ting my grass this evening before din
ner7
Perhaps you think / am contented
In, these well furnished Offices. So |
am. but because l force myself over
the disagreeable features Of my work.
l find a drop Of comfort in that work
occasionally in pointing out to some
couple that In not sweetening their dis
comforts they are going wrong"
The earnestness with which | spoke
the words attracted the boys atten-
ton. / held out my hand to him, and
leaving his mother, with three stagger-
ing steps, he came to me.
That's the first walking that V e
he did," exclaimed the mother gleeful-
ly. The fathers lowering brow relax
ed and he smiled. l took the child in
my arms and kissed him. Then l fin
ished my work In reuniting his par
ents with him on M knee. for the best
work do as a divorce lawyer is what
/ am telling you.
Where are you working nowT" 1
asked the man.
I'm not working anywhere. 1 am
looking for a job"
| thought a moment, then asked
again, How much money have your"
In a shamefaced manner he told
me that he had S25, which he had
brought with him to pay-so far as 1t
would go-for a divorce.
you won't pay me the money for a
divorce l said, for it would be a
sin for me to get a divorce for a young
man with a pretty wife, a lovely boy
and a knowledge of gardening. Be
sides, this is the season for your work
play, l call 1.-THE month of April.
when the buds are opening in the sun
shine, the birds are building their
nests, while you are thinking OF de
stroying yours. Go home. Do the
best you can with the money you
have. and l will look about for a job
for you. hope to find one before
your funds are all gone, though you
should use every effort to find IL
yourself"
l saw that l had produced all the
effect that l could have expected
and more. The expression of both hus-
band and wife had changed. being
lighted with hope. They rose. and
the man asked if there was not some
thing he could do for me for taking
up my time" as he put it. and | told
him that he could. | would be amply
repaid IL | saw him take his wife and
child in an embrace. The wife looked
up at him appealingly. | handed her
the child. and the husband did as l
had suggested. 1t happened to strike
the boys fancy to put one arm around
his fathers and the other around his
mothers neck. and I had the pleasure
.rTo amhr1pp /