lness she and they must
have starved and frozen but for the public charities, that would not let
anyone in our midst perish from want of necessary food and fuel. When
she recovered from her illness, one relative, a widow now present in
court, had from her own narrow means supplied the money to rent and
furnish a small schoolroom, and this most hapless of women was once more
put in a way to earn daily bread for herself and children. Nine years
passed, during which she enjoyed a respite from the persecutions of the
plaintiff. In these nine years, by strict attention to business,
untiring industry, she not only paid off the debt owed to her aged
relative, but she bought a little cottage and garden in a cheap suburb,
and furnished the house and stocked the garden. She was now living a
laborious but contented life and rearing her children in comfort. But
now at the end of nine years comes back the plaintiff. Her husband? No,
her enemy! for he comes, not as he pretends, to cherish and protect; but
as he ever came before, to lay waste and destroy! How long could it be
supposed that the mother would be able to keep the roof over the heads
of her children if the plaintiff were permitted to enter beneath it? if
the court did not protect her home against his invasion, he would again
bring ruin and desolation within its walls. They would prove by
competent witnesses every point in this statement of the defendant's
case; and then he would demand for his client, not only that she should
be secured in the undisturbed possession of her children, her property,
and her earnings, but that the plaintiff should be required to
contribute an annual sum of money to the support of the defendant and
her children, and to give security for its payment.

"That's 'carrying the war into Africa' with a vengeance," whispered
Walsh to his counsel, as Ishmael concluded his address.

He then called the witnesses for the defendant. They were numerous and
of the highest respectability. Among them was the pastor of her parish,
her family physician, and many of the patrons of her school.

They testified to the facts stated by her attorney.

The three giants did their duty in the cross-examining line of business.
Wiseman cross-examined in a stern manner; Berners in an insinuating way;
and Vivian in a sarcastic style; but the only effect of their forensic
skill was to bring out the truth from the witnesses--more clearly,
strongly, and impressively.

When t