The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-01-05
The Euenir,g Story
The Law Of 1t.

US AVSsssse 0e
The Law of 1t.
(By John Philip Orth.)
The Widow chester had adopted
Miss Gladys A. her, her deceased sis
ter's daughter, long enough before
any one used the pr in referring
to her. She was Gladys or ISIS to
everybody.
Mrs. CheIter prided herself on be-
ing thorough with her charge. While
teaching her how to handle her table
cutlery she also taught her OF what
material bricks were made. While ex-
planning to her the difference between
poetry and rhyme sh, also explained
why water and oil wouldn't mix.
While making her read history, she
also permitted her to read romance.
Miss Gladys was taught French at
a school. At home she was taught
the virtue of a mustard plaster rs q
counter irritant. She was told of the
cave-dwellers, and she was shown
how to mend her stockings. She
could talk intelligently on astronomy,
but she could also tell why a horse
and a cow do not lie down or get up
alike.
There were men in Wall street
when Miss Gladys was eighteen years
old who didn't know anything more
about finance than she did, and there
were hundreds of men in other walks
of life who could have learned from
her that a dog perspires through his
tongue more than through his skin.
When the girls education seemed
about finished the aunt said to her:
I'VE will now turn to the law. All
law must be obeyed by our sex as
we'll as the other: There are laws
theft, perjury. false pretenses. hgamy
and arson. How many laws did
manner"
Eight" was the prompt reply.
fright. If you obey, these eight
laws you will never have any trouble.
There are a few more lying around
loose, think, but you needn't worry
about them.''
"Oh, 1 never intend to kill or rob-"
was the laughing reply.
no, you never will, but you have
learned the law to help out your gen.
eral education. The law is broken
through . ignorance oftener than
through intent. You had now best
take a spin in your electric. If you
dies
Besides being in good spirits, Miss
Gladys felt that she was a good deal
of a lawyer and she wished that she
might meet some one m search of.le-
gal advice.
Her wish was granted before she
had gone two miles. There was a
spot in the highway which always col
lected water with a rain, and became
a. mudhole and a terror to travellers.
Four loads of gravel would have
filled the place up, or an hours work
with the hoe would have made a
drain. but the overseer Of highways
had been elected because he wrote
poetry
Miss Gladys surveyed the mud pud-
die in dismay. She could never force
her vehicle through that. Some one
ought to be punished, but allowing a
mud hole to remain until 1t got ready
to take itself off had not been mem
toned by her aunt as against any
law
The girl was about to turn back
eler had poured out curses on the spot
and then thrown the fence down and
taken to the field until he was past
the spot. AS a souvenir Of his ire he
had left the gaps wide open The
owner of the farm had put up a mo
Trespass' sign.
mo Trespass, eh?" unused Miss
Gladys as she drove through. IT am
sure that trespass Ia not among the
eight laws. How could any law know
that there was to be a mudhole at a
certain spot?''
She was about to take the road at
the far end of the obstruction when a
man stepped from the bushes and
held up his hand and called out: You
are under arrest"
"W-h-a-t!"
Il am constable and you are under
arrest!"
But what for?"
''Trespass. miss-the worst kind of
trespass! There are the signs right
under your nose"
But there il no law about tres
pass" protested the girl.
There amt. Ell? Well you come
home with me to Squar' Bradford
and we'll see about that!"
At did NO good to argue and pro-
test. The office of the Justice was a
mile away at his house. and thither
the prisoner was taken.
"Trespass!" solemnlys announced the
constable.
We'll, the law. win have to see
about it," was the answer. "Young
woman, do you want a lawyer.''
What for?"
Because you are in a peck of
trouble
Upon a certain occasion the aunt
had said to Gladys, IF you find
yourself in trouble, don't cry and
lose your temper.
This advice came to her now as she
asked: $50 there is q law to punish
any one for not driving through a
mudhole?''
Young woman. there i = law to