The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-11-16
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Prom Our orSn Correspondent

The cold-voiced pTind donna who was once
Miss Caroline Richings, but who is now known
as Mrs. Richings-Bernard is not so successful
In court as on the stage. In the Marine Court
of this city, the suit instituted against her by
Miss Laura Waldron has lately been decided in
Miss Wadron's favor BY the terms of the
contract Miss Laura was to receive fifty dol
lars per week for singing in one opera, and
seventy-five dollars per week when she was
suftciently advanced to sing in three-these
terms being based upon the condition that the
young lady was successful both in Boston and PHI
ladelphia. During the investigation Mrs Bernard
submitted that Miss Laura had been passablv
successful in Philadelphia only, and that she
had made total failure of it in Boston. This,
OF course, the budding cantatrcc Denies assert
ing positively-she can show us the place, IL we
don't believe it-that her success in Philadel-
phia was overwhelming and that that was the
only condition stipulated for in the contract
Mrs. Bernard's ground of defense was that
being married woman, a Judgment could not
be urged against her, IN persondm, having no re-
latlon to her separate estate. 1t Mits proved
however-to the eminent satisfaction of Miss
Waldron, who received $106 in consequence Of
it-that Mrs. Bernard owned and ''ran" the
English opera and it was considered that this
was quite sufficient to constitute Il separate
estate.
''NIan and wife,
The delicate ard painful question which Mr.
Wilkie Collins has made the keynote of his new
novel finds manycollateral instances in American,
and especially New York, society. Take, for
instance, the case of Beattica Bissel the young
girl who became the victim of young Bissels
sophistries, and credulously believed him when
he placed the wedding-ring upon her finger, and
solemnly told her that that act constituted them
man and wife as Thoroughly as though the usual
ceremony had been performed by half-a-dozen
ministers. Unfortunately for him, Judge Bar
nard has taken him at his word, and decided
that Beattica is legally married, and en-
titled both to divorce and alimony. Neverthe-
less, this decision is entirely at variance
with the popular understanding and belief on
that subject. Ninety-nine New Workers out of
hundred, on being asked what was necessary
to constitute marriage in this State, would say
that ceremony by clergyman or by some
civil officer was essential But the Bissell case
has become test of this question, and Judge
Barnards decision puts New York on the same
status as Pennsylvania in this respect Miss
Beatticas husband was an involuntary bigamist,
having taken for granted that he could desert
her with impunity and perpetrated marriage
with another young lady.
The Bronze Banquet CorolIary.
hear that some of the chief newspaper men
who have been invited by Captain Degroot to
honor him with their presence ut the Bronze
Banquet Corolary to be celebrated at the Astor
House this evening, have respectfully but
peremptorily declined. They are afraid of en-
countering some more poundcakc and lemon
ade. The party, therefore, which will this even
ing meet in parlor No. promises to be so
select that even meagre share of delicacies
will be more than sufficient. You see journalists
have sensitive feelings, and don't like to be got
N ;InIJo
at the end of it.
The Woman's Council.
At the latest meeting of the Organizing Com
mittee of the Woman's Council, Mrs. Wilbour
presented in an essay the consideration of
several questions which must occur to thinking
women, and which are not very easily answered.
For instance, it had been stated that the object
of the Council was to form an association OF all
the women of the country. What is meant by
all the women, is the first query that crops out,
and how far all the women would be willing to
cooperate in good cause, is another query.
Will feminine exclusivism upon Fifth avenue
consort with the less refined mediocrity of I'M
fashionable dwelling VIII not the best
endeayors of respectable women of wealth and
culture sometimes be crossed and degraded by
the ignorance of poorer women and the impu-
dence of vicious ones5 Will not the immaculate
web and woof spun by the nobler spirits of the
woman's advance movement be tarnished by the
soiled threads interviewer therein by the med
ding fingers of lorette and grisette? In short,
will not the usefulness of such an association be
restricted by the modesty which must character
izc the public, as the private, conduct of good
women everywhere? Having asked questions
like to these the gentle essayist pauses for a
reply.
believe that one of the principles of polltl-
cal economy is that if you want an article and
it is cheap, that is a reason why you should buy
it; but if you do not want it, its cheap
ness is reason whatever why
YOU should make the purchase. Something like
this in its operation is the instalmcnt system
which forms part OF the policy of so many fur
niture dealers in this city, and beguies poor
families to their ruin. The hard-working pdte'
or qaaterfamiliaS secs an article, n sofa, or Il
bedstead, or a pretty centre-table which he OF
she ardently desires The price far exceeds the
would-be purchasers means, however. who Ii
reluctantly compelled to lose the opportunity
and let IL 90 over for another time. At thi'
iupcture in steps the complaccnt dealer with his
seductive ''you can pay for it by instalments.
This is more than pdter ormGter can stand ThC
five dollars per week for so handsome piece o
furniture caa be made forthcoming and is, unit
upon some uuucky day mother is seized witt
the rheumatism over the washtub, or fathe
mas his leg smashed by an EN-
bankment falling upon him. or som'