The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1858-08-27
A Curious Marriage and Divorce Suit


TO those who prefer present security to tu-
ture life and happiness.
year or two ago, Nj. Malfilatre, honor,
hope and heir of a renowned calico printer,
stocking nakcr and night cap vendor of
Rouen, set sail from lIavrc to proceed to
Sydney, in order, to superincnd the bust
ness which his father carried ON in ti,,!
place, and which the death Of his partner
had left without surveillance.
One OF those accidents which will hap.
prn i'll spite OF captain Or compass, even to
the hest governed ships on the ocean, hap
pened, as Il matter of course, to rotten llt-
tie bark in which NJ Malflatre set sail
and on the inhospitablc shore Of Wallis Is
lands was it wrecked; everything lost but
NJ. Maltilatre, to whom everything was lost
but honor. The plump person and dcfcnce-
less state OF the young merchant became Il
great temptation 10 the dainty Inhabitants
OF Wallis Island, who have disgu~'cd the
missionaries by eatirg each other, and they
carried him away to the chiefs hut, with
loud shouts of triumph at the sweet NOR
sci which tho waves had thrown upon their
shore. The Catholic missionaries have a
small establishment ofthe Maristes on the
Island.
They work night au,l day, with inrclnitted
zeal, Tor the conversion Of these savames,
AMI have got as far as the prevention Of in
fan'lcide Tor gaSlronom;c puposcs, which is
great step; but they have not as vet been
able to inspire tha, wholesome dislike Of hu-
man flesh, which should certainly form the
hlS' s'cpi III every conversion TO Christianity
The poor young man, in his dilemma. APP
pealcd pi,co,,sy to the reverend fathers {;
but they confessed that they possessed no
lniluencc-that they We're barely tolerated,
and dare not interfere. The only rescure
to be expected could be obtained by choos-
ing wife among the native women, and
ccnsenting to remain on the Island forever.
After much persuasion from the missionary,
he accepted Of the latter alternative, and the
holy father, according to tho custom of his
nation, choose Il bride for the young man,
and took especial care to choose a good
parly-no less one than the daughter of
the chief. One thing, however, the father
insisted on; the marriage should bo soe,n-
nIzed seriously with Catholic rites and, at
all events, the bridegroom should be bound
by proper registers, and not be permitted
to treat the Sacred ccrmony with the same
lightness us it is elsewhere.
Everything was consented to by the young
man, who had grown attached to life 10y
means OF good supper; and accordingly
on the next day, the beautiful Suleta, all
freshly ta,loocd from head to foot-hcr fair
undisfigurcd by crinoline-was,
ed TO the alter OF the Marstes by Malfi-
latre. But, Of course, on, hero from Rou-
len had treated the whole thing as It,la
harmless expedient to keep safe skin and
whole bone in this hungry land, and soon
began to look out for an opportunity of
quitting the scene.of his connubia felicity.
Some months eIasped, however, before this
occurred but at length, one al
telnoon, wandering disconsolate on the
beach, lie described vessel in the offinc.
1t was an English vessel, whose boats
in answer to the signal Of the distress hois-
ted the bridegroom, FASTENED to the rescue
and bore him off to the ship without DIS
covery on the part of the natives, who
would have killed and eaten them all had
they been aware of the treachery intended.
Mr.. Malfilatre landed safe and sound at
Havre only two months ago. lie found
that great chages had taken 1lace in his
fathers household during his absence. An
inheritance had fallen iI--fortune had smi-
ed most graciol,slv upon the old man and
the son, after all his wretchedness and mis-
cry, returned to irl himself the heir of
wealth he had never dreamed Of The first
thing for n rich man in France to do is, az
we all know, to provide himself with rich
wife the father began to look around him,
and having found suitable match, the par
ties were straightway brought forth to be
married.
But now arose the difficulty Ma
lifilatre could not deny his marriage at Wal
lis Island by Catholic priest, according
to Catholic rites. The marriage was legal
in every point Of view, excepting in the one
point OF the non-consent of the parents of
bridegroom. So, therefore, notice was
served by a huissier upon the "Demoisella
Sneta, falsely calling herself Madam MaIf-
latre," to show cause why she should not be
dispossessed of that title. OF course, the
whole affair was considered mighty good
joke by the gossips, and laughed at accor.
ding ly; for after the delay expired, no parti4
civiie appearing, judgment would 90 by de-.
fault, and MaId!atre might be free to marry
whom he pleased.
Thus did the affair stand until last week,
when 10 to the utter confusion of the san
guine bridegroom and bis rich bride, the
Bishop Of Australia and Oceanica, in whose
diocese lies that paradise of which we have
given some Of the most striking traits de
meurs, and in defence Of morality and reli.
eion, proclaims himself ready to become
pdrtie civale in this case, for the protection
Of the helpless Suleta. We may judge oi
the CONSERVATION thrown among the tanks
Of jewellers, costumiers and. modjstes, all en-.
gagged for the rich marriage-the tears Of
the rich bride--the rawlings of the rich bride
groom. The debates, which are to come
on directly, wiii.bs fulFof interest, and vol
warning at the sssarne time. Phe.t case. is
considered one Of the most curious ,ousSrs
cord, and has been complicated since The
issue Of the first mis- en- demeuresbY che ar.
rival OF the: nsws Of the birth, at sWelIis
Island, of:a son to the house of Nal ajs.tfs
who now shares theS interest hithefSG sb