Some time ago a railway collision on one of the roads leading out of New
York killed, among others, a passenger living in an interior town. His
remains were sent home, and a few days after the funeral the attorney of
the road called upon the widow to effect a settlement. She placed her
figures at twenty thousand dollars. “Oh! that sum is unreasonable,”
replied the attorney. “Your husband was nearly fifty years old.” “Yes,
sir.” “And lame?” “Yes.” “And his general health was poor?” “Quite
poor.” “And he probably would not have lived over five years?”
“Probably not, sir.” “Then it seems to me that two or three thousand
dollars would be a fair compensation.” “Two or three thousand!” she
echoed. “Why, sir, I courted that man for ten years, run after him for
ten more, and then had to chase him down with a shotgun to get him before
a preacher! Do you suppose that I’m going to settle for the bare cost of
shoe leather and ammunition?”