Year: 1860




carefully dressed, who desired to know il |
could transact little legal business for her.


She immediately seated herself and after
some hesitation began and went through
with her story


It seemed that her hasSarld, who was given
TO turns of extreme dissipation, had deserted
her Of his own choice, and she bad heard
nothing of him for a number of years. At
first she was unwilling to believe that his
absence was anything more than temporary,
as he had at several times forgotten his OBJ
legations to her in this way but finding it
become protractcd indefinitely, she entertain
ed fears for his safety.


Thoughtless, apparently, of his wife's dis
tress Of mind, and caring nothing whether
she ever received tidings of him or not, he
followed after his own inclinations, and led
the life of a wretched vagabond. Yet he
carefully kept his whereabouts secret from
his wife's cars. Perhaps III this one par
ticular he did have some regard for her feel
ngs. She gave me her name as Mrs. NAL
lows.


Henry said she, was once my all in all;
and'-the tears swimming in her blue eyes
II love him now as much as / ever did. /
pity him..


Poor woman! how much was she to be
pited herself! .......


i have earned living for myself and my
little girl, she continued, ever since was
left alone. Besides that, / have bought
little plain, but necessary furniture, and put
something into the savings bank.


He has been gone several years you say
| asked her.


Yes, sir; he must have been, in order to
give poor woman like myself any time to
lay aside little money
= suppose you wish to secure your saw
ings, then, against


Yes, sir He must not have them! 1t
never will do! Think of my chid!'
! told her what the law was, and regretted
/ that such law was tolerated on the statute
book.


She looked at me as if she wanted to tear
the leaf out of the statutes with her own
hands.


Il knew how it was said she, and for
that purpose have prepared to take step
| th.t otherwise | never would take in the
world. I must obtain diUerceP
| | studied her countenance WELL for it
challenged my scrutiny them It was that of
brave and noble woman, who from duty
and principle makes a sacrifice whose great
ness the world can never measure.


Il wish it could be avoided, , said she !;
but how is it possible? Even if he returns
and claims what have saved before a sepa-
ration is legally effected. he can take it all
without any power of mine to prevent it.
Is it not SOP


] was obliged to confess it was.


Then, said she, with a sad resolution,
this step must be taken. 1t tears my heart,
but | will do my duty to my child.


| therefore took such data from her lips
as enabled me to bring petition before the
proper court. While sat making the me-
morandum, she threw various ordinations
of sorrow at the state of things with her, that
excited me with unusual sympathy.
know that lawyers are not apt to be the most
sentimental of men, nor to cultivate on their
part the liyeliest of senSibilites. But here


WAS case to challenge, in many of its con-
Meeting circumstances, the sympathy of any


living creature. | did not hesitate accOr-
dinghy, to render the poor lady full meas
ure OF my better feelings in return for her
sor; ow; and shall never hesitate, | hope,
to do SO in any PERSONS case that may hap


pen to come in my way.
Poor Henryp she would say. Poor
, Henry! | loved him so much can't bu


love HIM yet How can forget those ear.
, ly daysy


The safest way for me was, while sbt


talked thus and cried too, to hold my heaC


down as closely as possible to my paper


Al some points of her story, | do not be


lieye could have looked her in the face
: without helping the unhappy creature along
with tears of my own.


When we were married. said she again
, didn't think of days like these. | wouldn'


have believed it if my best friend had toll


me they were sure to come. | loved Hen


ry-p0or Henry! And know how trulv


then he loved me. But he has been led as


tray. He yer woald do this himself; som


one else must have led him off into it,


After time succeeded in collecting a.


the facts from her that was necessary to tn
, business, and pushed back from the table
k She once more inquired of me:
l. j cannot prevent his taking all, except b


bringing this petition for divorce P
e 4 see no other escape | told her.
of Then, said she with heavy countenanc
n indeed the matter is settled forever. al
d to be without the husband of my youth!
Ie am to live and die alone! Good day sir
le loved Henry before he took to these courses
Of Ah, sir, | love him now! | would max
lr any sacrifice, if could thus avert this dreat
to ful step 7


le And she took her leave sadly of me, as


she were passing out into the dark shade
ne of cloud


n. sat undisturbed in my Office for sever
II, hours, ruminating on the hard case that h;
r, just been presented. | thought with myst
,g it was o fearful matter thus to divorce hu
s. band and wife forever, when perhaps ha
MS ply circumstances might yet intervene to !
"a concile their differences; and | felt it wor
1g than all that law should be allowed
ce stand on the pages of the statute ebook, viii
IS. drove an unprotected woman to petition
he a divorce in order to save her little propert
he The more l thought about it, the hard
ly it seemed to be to me- Yet | knew W
to enough there was no present remedy for
he case, like this, but this single one she h
- felt forced to choose. Her husband h
us been away from her--had voluntarily des


ted her for number of years-enough


warrant the granting of her petition, unC
the provisions Of the law, He deserved
IN be cut off from a true and loving WON
oi he had so basely betrayed, and hoped
ue- be an instrument in bringing about suct


result.


Even while sat there thus occupied,
pa, door opened, and there walked in mar
we'd perhaps thirty-fve summers who reno
Tor his hat at once and sat down in the CT
ord which my unhappy client had vacated.


lie stated that be was person long