The Washington times., 1922-12-01
By RUTH HERRuNGTON.

one lovely time of the sea-
~ son for Masonville. Hep
zibah Harrison was suing Henry
Brown. The sum asked was $780,
600. The charge was breach Of
Hepzibah Harrison was without
question. the plainest woman in
Masonville. She never had been
anything else but plain. She was
just as homely when she was a
gaunt, bony, colorless girl of
twenty. as she was now, gaunt,
bony. coloriess woman Of fifty.
Masonviile knew for q certainty
that In her whole life, no man had
ever looked at her except Henry
Brown.
He was sixty. the leading mer,
chant Of Masonvilie. and a deacon
in the Methodist church. The
worst that had ever been said Of
him was that he was stingy, and
that he seemed to be rather hard
on his wives-he had buried four.
But as for philandering-not even
the most cynical had ever accused
him of that. PiQuancy was added
to the situation by the fact, that
the deacon had married his fifth
wife just two months before, and
II was this fact which was sup
posed to have brought on Hepzi-
bah's breach suit.
Deacon Brown was furious. He
declared he had never spoken to
the woman In his life except when
she came into his store, and then
their conversation had consisted
Of such tender nothings as I'VE
Just got some fine new potatoes
in. Miss Harrison; cheap. too. at
the price,"
Miss Hepzibah's only noteworthy
act was to 20 to the city and buy
for the trial q new suit and hat
in which. 1t was generally ad.
mitted, she at least looked human.
Jud Benson, her attorney, was
as non-committal as his client.
Henry Brown had procured the
services Of Judge Williams. &C.
county.
Hepzibah testified that Henry
Brown had paid court to her and
that she, In her unsophistication.
believing him. had granted him
her love. He had promised to
marry her Is soon ~ the tradi.
tional years mourning for his
fourth wife was over. But in
stead, without any warning. he
had married the Widow Green.
And Hepzibah thought she was
entitled to $4,000 for her dam
aged affections.
Her lawyer brought out that
the meetings with the deacon had
been mostly In the evening In the
cemetery. the deacon having
urged secrecy because of his
mourning. Benson inveiKhed at
the baseness Of q villain who, al
most beside the graves Of four
dead wives.y could niake false vows
to a trusting member Of their
sex. Deacon Brown nearly had
stroke at this touch.
Hepzibah's case, however,
melted like warm Ice cream when
Henry Brown took the stand.
She had no witnesses, offering
only her own word. The dea-
con brought forward witnesses
the evenings Hepxibah declared
hC udu Bpcut Win ucEs no Illk1
Mrs. Brown said that most of
these evenings the deacon had
been in her own parlor. The
jury acquitted the deacon after
five minutes deliberation, and he
went off triumphantly with his
new and loyal spouse.
Hepzibah disappeared after the
trial. Two indignant sisters, de-
termined to speak their minds
over the fiasco. fidgeted at her
cottage until midnight.
At that hour q car stopped out
in front, and presently Hepzibah
came in. her hat on crooked, her
hair awry and her cheeks act
ually pink.
Ha q h. the older sister.
pounced on her. ~.
II couldn't 60 homo, Hepxibah
Harrison, without telling you
some things for your own good.
Folks are saying that you tried to
blackmail the deacon! A homely
old maid like you! You owe It to
Elsie and to me to tell us why
you did this fool thing. and well
stay here till you do"
Hepxibah displayed no irrita-
ton. ', --..