@classmethod
def load(cls, filename):
    """
        Load a staj file, returning an MlayerModel object
        """
    fin = open(filename, 'r')
    lines = fin.readlines()
    fin.close()
    self = cls()
    try:
        self._parse(lines)
    except:
        raise ValueError('Improper staj file')
    return self
