OCR Text |
Show HUSBAND WAS AN EXPERT ON "EPILEPTtCAL" FITS Mrs. Parratt had been unjustly accused. ac-cused. Of course, she had not . been drunk. What, though the policeman had seen her lying on the sidewalk, bleeding from an ugly cut over her eye. and what though the fumes of liquor were on her breath when she was taken ta-ken tenderly to the police station in the patrol wagon, and there had her injuries in-juries dressed? It was all a mistake. Mrs. Parratt was not drunk on this occasion, oc-casion, even though she had pleaded guilty to the same charge many times. Mrs. Parratt was indignant. She would prove to the court by witnesses whose testimony could not be gainsaid, that she was as sober as well, as sober so-ber as any one that the court might name. Mrs. Parratt was tried In Police court yesterday afternoon. She was eager for the trial to begin, and regardless re-gardless of the supposed damaging circumstances cir-cumstances that surrounded her arrest, she wore a half-cynical, half-humorous smile when her case was- called. If the arresting policeman had seen that smile, and if he had known what was behind that smile, he would have trembled trem-bled in his boots. But he did not see the smile, and unsuspecting what was to come, took the stand. Yes, he had arrested Mrs. Parratt. Of course, she was drunk, else why would he arrest her? Was sne drunk? Well, if the court had seen her when the policeman po-liceman found her, the court would have thought she was drunk. Yes, she was lying on the sidewalk, and was bleeding badly from a wound In her scalp, caused by sudden and violent contact with the unyielding cement. Mrs. Parratt was called. No, of course, she was not drunk. She had been unjustly arrested many times on charges of being intoxicated, but this was the greatest injustice of all. What was the matter with her? Well, if the court must know, she was a very sick woman. Yes, she had been sick a long time. Her trouble was epileptic epi-leptic fits. Yes, she had suffered from many attacks. This one came on even more suddenly than usual, and she had no chance to secure a stimulant to ward it off. Her husband was there to verify her statement. Would they let him testify? The husband took the stand after going go-ing through the solemn and impressive form of taking the oath. Mrs. Parratt. his good wife, was not drunk. No, indeed, she was not. She had fell a victim to them awful epllep-tlcal epllep-tlcal fits that she was subjected to. She had had 'em for many years. What was the cause of 'em? Well, if the truth must be told, the drink must have started it. You see, it's come on like this. She drinks too much sometimes, and when she drinks too much, she loses her vitality. vi-tality. That is this way. When she drinks too much she does not "want no food. The drink don't take the place of food and she gets weak. Then she kind of gives out and her clrcumlation is stopped. Her extermitles get cold, and the blood that was in her extermitles rushes to her head, and she has an epl-leptical epl-leptical fit. The witness could tell you a great deal more about them fits if the court wants to know. The witness had made a most careful and exhaustive study of eplleptlcal fits, for his good wife had 'em right often. The court found the defendant not guilty, and told her not to do it again. She was discharged. The accused had been vindicated. The policeman then knew the "whyness" of that smile, half-cynical, half-humorous. Mrs. Parratt knew that the court could not overlook her husband's expert ex-pert testimony. |