Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1916-10-20

Janet's Husband Attacks Tom.
wife" sneered Lander, Gin spite of the
presence of those two brats. We don't
want you to interrupt our loving chat
| So L"
Toms fist, driven with the force or
sudden anger gust, stopped the slur-
ring words by landing heavily against
the speakers mouth.
Lander, running in, grappled.
Up and down the veranda they
swayed and reeled in their primordial
battle.
Tom, wrenching free from his oppo-
nent's grip, drove his left first again In
to Lander's face and followed it with
his right.
Under the double impact Lander was
knocked clear off his balance. His big
body flew backward. His feet sought
tardily for the veranda floor and
clawed in futile effort at the top step.
Then he hurtled over the edge Of the
veranda, down the entire flight Of
wooden steps, and his head smote
sharply against an iron jardiniere on
the lawn below. The metal vessel was
cracked by the force of the collision.
Lander lay motionless and unconscious
OH the lawn.
Tom Mercer made as if to descend
the steps toward his fallen and sense
less foe. But, at the same instant, his
features became distorted with agony.
0He clutched at his heart with both
hands, a groan of mortal pain bursting
from his white lips.
Janet cried aloud at sight Of Toms
ashen face, and ran to catch him as he
staggered blindly backward.
She was in time to seize the sudden
ly helpless and inert body In her arms.
But all her love and all her prayers
could not stay for one brief minute the
fight of the soul from that body.
4
1t was on the day after the funeral
that Caius Lefferts, Tom MERGERS law
yer, called at the once bright Mercer
home to see Janet.
She came into the library to receive
him, looking very beautiful, but pitt
fully tragic in her deep mourning.
"Well," she asked, in tense eager
ness as he rose to greet her. "Have
you looked up the law in the matter?
And-and it isn't true, is it,"
"Pm afraid, Mrs. Mercer" he replied e
sadly, "that / must answer Yes to
both those questions. l have consulted
every authority. Mare Lander was
correct. You were solemnly married
to Thomas Mercer, in the sight of God
and of the LAWN Connecticut. But
in New York you were never Thomas
MERGERS wife. In fact" he hesitated,
then forced himself to go on. "In fact.
1 learn today that Lander is instituting
suit for divorce against you, naming
Thomas Mercer as correspondent"
81 must tell you everything" went
on the lawyer, although it is like tor
turing a helpless child. Thomas Mer-
Ger left no will. 1t was doubtless his
intent that you should thus receive
one-third Of his property and each OF
his children one-third. But-none OF
YOU three, by New York law, has any
status as his wife or children. There
lore NONE VI yOu Sah 'i"iSiib las -"
tate"
"What? Surely his own children"
"New York state" replied Leferts,
"does not recognize you as MERGERS
widow. You and your children have
no claim on his estate"
But"
"His sister," continued Lefferts,
scaled on me this morning. AS Mer-
GERS next of kin, as he left no will, she
is his sole heir. She came to notify
me that she intends to evict you and
vour children from this house and that
she refuses to contribute one penny to-
ward the support Of any OF you. She"
He broke off. Janet had fallen back
in her chair in a dead faint.
And only the principal actors In tiss
event are the ones to blame, but law
makers must share the odium and hear
their part of the burden when the ac-
cusing finger is pointed at them ana
they are asked the question Whoa
Guilty?"
(END or ELEVENTH Sl'0RYJ