The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1916-12-12


should like to know what was the use
of my college training il not to-
Exactly" Bob broke ill., That
what Id like to know too. II an
academic education doesn't help you
about the house, why study law on tor
of it,"
Mrs. Ellington tossed her head
You know as well as | do what |
mean.' she insisted. 'ln the first
place, | want to be able to talk intelli
gently with you about Your business
matters. You won't interest yourself
in my music, so suppose l must In
terest myself in your law"
Thus Mrs. Ellington, as usual, had
her way. In three years time. against
the repeated protests of her husband
she added an LII. Il. to her arts degree
and successfully passed the bar exam
ination.
II was in the tenth year of their mar.
ried life that this event took place, and
Bob was forced TO admit that Mrs. Bill
lington failed not at all in the per
torrance of her household duties Nor
did she lose any of her femininity, and
she continued to demand aud receive
all the little attentions that her hus.
band had so unfailngy accorded her
ever since their marriage.
only In one respect was the even
tenor of their married life disturbed
namely and to wit, as the lawyers say,
in the matter Of Intelligent conversa-
ton Bob still talked the usual do
nestle commonplace; but. while in the
past Mrs. Ellington merely echoed her
husbands opinions, she now managed
to twist Bob's every sentence into a
mooted question of law. For instance,
if he said that the Porteouses had a
new coachman she protested to recog-
nize in this an allusion TO the law of
master and servant. and she FASTENED
to introduce the doctrine of respond
ent superior"
She pursued these tactics until Bob
grew weary, and If lie found the con
versation tending toward legal dis
cusson he buried himself in the even
Ing paper or pleaded Il headache and
retired to pipe in the library. Nev.
ertheless at least four nights Il week he
found himself unwilingly going over
his entire days work in the courts or
at the office, while Mrs Ellington lis
tened with parted lips, fairly drinking
in the legal phraseology.
Nov, this she said at last sis Just
what I've been wanting to do for you.
| feel that I'm actually sharing the re-
sponsibility of your work, so that the
burden of it won't rest so heavily on
you"
Wont it. thought" Bob reioined.
1T means that do a days work twice
over-once in the actual performance
Of it and then again worrying it over
with you In the evening. \ sort of
legal cud chewing / call II. And
Bowlcs. our managing clerk. is sick,
and I've got TO hustle down to a dis
trict court tomorrow and try miser-
able little case myself"
Mrs. Billingtons eye cleaned.
"Wly don't you let me try it for
you?" she suggested.
you try it, Bob shouted "Why,
by the sacred .mackerel, If ever let
you put foot in one of those dirty little
east side courts may | be forever con-
demnedr
The CLEAN died out of Mrs. Billing
toms eye, but you may be sure that the
ambition which kindled it remained.
Ever since she had mastered-or
thought she had mastered-the law Of
evidence she had been secretly anxious
to try case, and the opportunity was
not long In coming.
"Just glance over this complaint, will
you?' she asked one morning at break
fast, passing over the table formid-
able looking legal document.
"That what?" said Bob
Complaint" Mrs Ellington went
on steadily. Il presume you know that
complaint is the name of the first writ
ten and verified pleading in an action
at law We'll. this document is the
complaint in the case of Konvalnka
against Schultz-action for wages as a
female servant"
"In the municipal court of the city
of New York, borough of Manhattan,
Eighteenth district" it was headed.
Susan Konvalinka, plaintiff, against
Mary schultz, defendant. The plaintiff,
complaining of the defendant, by Mar
ion Ellington. her attorney respect
fully alleges and shows
But Bob read no farther and handed
back the paper without word.
"Wellw said Marion. what dc you
think Of it?'
Think of it," said Bob, "Why, I
think this. I've been married to Mar
ion Ellington for ten years and l never
knew her to do an unwomanly thing
up to now"
He UNDERSIGNED the last three words
MS plainly as sudden vocal crescendo
permits
"Unwomanly?r Marion cried i:ldlg-
nantly
That's Whit / said" Eob tcc. ,red.
when you spent your afternoons for