Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1922-07-14
Her F or11ler
Sweetheart
By CHARLES E. BAXTER

prospect OF the electric chair.
There was no escape from that al
tentative. His counsel had advised him
that verdict of manslaughter, even
second-degree murder verdict, was i'm
possible. For only the unwritten law
could save him.
He had killed the man whom he sus-
pected of being his wife's lover-not
in hot blood, but with fendish malice.
He had poisoned his wine at the club,
Of which both were members. ;.
Charles Ellison was not popular
figure. Cold, relentless, cunning,
shrewd, with bad name in business,
he had broken his wife's heart, they
said, with his studied Indifference. FL
lison knew very we'll that there was
not much sympathy with him. Still,
the unwritten law might save him.
Mary Ellison was beauty. She had
broken many hearts before her mex
plicable marriage with Ellison. She
had ruined her own life, after running
others lives. Men cursed the day they
had fallen victims to her.
In the jury room little knot had
gathered about the two antagonists.
One was the foreman; the others name
was Price. Price was putting up
fight for an acquittal; the foreman
wanted verdict Of murder il q he first
degree. The other ten were swayed
backward and forward as they lis
tened.
But all had agreed that it must be
the one thing or the other. Conpro-
mise was impossible.
"See here, now, Mr.. Price," expostu-
lated the foreman, that won't wash,
that argument. The law says that
man who kills another man in cold
blood is guilty of murder. The prerog-
ative of mercy rests with the governor
and pardons board. That's not our af-
fair. The evidence is conclusive.'
"What about the sanctity of the
home?" Price demanded. "Are our
homes, our women folks, who are weak
and dependent on us for guid"'~e are
they to be at the mercy of scoun-
drel who comes along?"
But he poisoned him lcherous-
ly poisoned him!" put in o. ;: Of his lis
teners.
Price turned on him fercely.
"Well, suppose he did? Prussic acid
wasn't it? Didn't it kill him instan-
taneously? Wasn't that kinder and
better than shooting him and perhaps
letting him linger in agony?'
"That's not the argument" said the
foreman, sturdily. Murder is murder.
h,1c &c fn VII in, of
according to the evidence"
II say it's not!" Price shouted. Il
say it's our duty to send that man
home to his Borrowing wife,
"Sorrowing wife, scoffed the other
"She'll sorrow lot more if the scOun-
drel goes back to her. Why, it's been
shown by the witnesses that he's
broken her heart!"
THAT'S not the point ether insist
ed Price. Its our duty to uphold the
unwritten laW-that grand safeguard
of the American home. The sanctity
of marriage, gentlemen, the inviolacy
of the bond between husband and
wife,"
Hear, hear!' cried one Of the other
jurors. Lets take a ballot, Mr.. Fore
man.
"Wait! AS I understand you, Mr..
Price, you claim that by sending this
man back to his wife, even if it kills
her. we shall be UNFOLDING the Ameri-
can spirit Of family life. That we must
give this precedence over what the law
says"
1.-THE law Why, it is the law!"
Numbered Price. "It's the law en-
craven in the moral code of every Ma.
ton since the Ten Commandments
were handed down upon Mount Sinai !!
"Doggoned if I want to send him to
the CHAIR" the foreman muttered.
The ballot showed nine for acquittal
The three remaining jurors were for 8
compromise verdict. They fought il
all over again.
"'Tain't as if that Mrs. Ellison was
one of these angel saints" said the
foreman. "She's been a high-steppel
in her time. Every one knows she
drove two men to suicide"
My good sir, I'm not contending fol
Mrs. Ellison said Price. I'm contend
ing for Womanhood-our American
womanhood. l tell you, gentlemen, I'm
less you send Ellison back to his wife
you will strike a deadly blow at thu
foundations Of our social system"
The next ballot showed eleven t,
one. And the twelfth man, who want
ed to get home to his own wife, surren
dered ten minutes later.
1--WE find the prisoner not guilty! -
A buzz in court. A cry from tn,
white-faced woman who had sat da,
by day listening to her husbands coun
sci make his imprisoned plea. In he
heart Mary Ellison, though she woul,
not have admitted it. had hoped for
manslaughter verdict-anything tina
would haye freed her for a few brie
years from the man who was even nov
shaking hands with the jurors
Price went up to her "You don't re
member me, Mrs Ellison?" he asked.
"You?" She stared at him. "Joh
Price?"
'"Thats right. Remember that moor
light night when you promised to
true, forever? Life was going to-
one grand, sweet song, wasn't it?
hope yours will be, Mary Ellison!''
Some Symptoms.
Bacon-When a man is in love ever.
thing looks different to him.