The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-02-05
Goose and Camden.

to the effect that what is a culinary emol-
lent for the anserine female is equally
available for the gustatory enrichment Of
the male of the species does not appear to
command in all British courts of law the
exact observance merited by its obviously
impartial wisdom and great antiquity. The
traditional chivalry of the Briton in the
Jurors box is an eternal peril to any inter
est of the sterner sex that may be as I'M
fortunate as to conflict legally with femi-
nine allegations or claims; and it is above
all things difficult for the Englishman ar
raigned upon charge of any form of social
bad faith towards woman to escape ex-
emplary damages. Many an illustrative
suit has been quoted from foreign papers
in these columns to show how inevitably
the masculine defendant in a British
breach of promise case is condemned to
pay heavily for his ungallant offence.
Scarcely can such defendent offer any de-
fensive testimony that his jurors will con-
slider in extenuation of such offence. If
there are witnesses and letters to show
that he ever treated or wrote to the accus-
ing lady in such a manner as to make her
and others credit a specific matrimonialin-
tention on his part, he must answer in ad-
equate pecuniary compensation for his Ill
innate detection in the matter. Take, for
instance, a suit of the kind lately tried at
the Lancaster Assizes: "A spruce-l looking
young lady, milliner, from INVERSION, "
bearing the partly unpleasant name of
Miss Annibella Redhead, brought an &C
ton against Mr. Thomas Huddleston, the
son of local magistrate of great respecta-
bility and wealth, upon the strength of the
following circumstances: Seven years ago
the plaintiff, while dressmaking for some
young ladies in their home in Ulyerston,
met Mr.. Huddlcston there as visitor, and
attracted his admiration to such an extent
that, from thenceforth he was a dilligent
caller at her own house AS he was fifty
years old, or Of nearly twice her own age.
she did not at first allow herself to construe
his attentions as more than friendly; but
presently, when his manner became more
particular. her comprehension changed to
possibilities more serious The elderly
bachelor was an assiduous visitor for some
time, however, before avowing his matri-
monial aspiration owing, as he duly ex-
planned, to the exacting disposition of
his venerable father, who would cut
him off with shilling if he committed
any connubial indiscretion. At last,
though, upon assuring himself that his fas-
fInIOnS 70 ha
objection of his mature affections.
the fascinated old fellow made for
NAL offer of his hand to Miss Redhead,
and was not rejected. March, 1871, wit
messed this comfortable result, and the in
terviews and letters thereafter for a year
and half were in keeping with its proprie-
ties. But an old lover is even more uncer-
tain than younger one in long engage
ment and involving financial inequality,
and, not long ago, the mature Huddleston
allowed his fancy to wander to a Miss
Dodgson, who, with el00 year, eclipsed
the trusting milliner in his tickle affections,
From all human experience there does not
seem to be any such thing as tact possible
in the management of such an affair. Re
creant knights, old or young, are always
awkward III it ; never dexterous and thus
very often supply the most effective evil
dence against themselves for any future
prosecution. Mr.. Huddleston tried the
very common, clumsy device, of pretend
ing to construe letter of natural remon-
STRANGE against his Inconsistency into an i'm
piled release, and answering as though the
lady had revoked their engagement her
self As Miss Redhead had done nothing
OF the kind, however, she responded to the
mi frnWn h Il. Il
should hold the gentleman to his matri-
monial promise, and thence her action
against him in law as above noticed Plain
tiff 5 counsel having recited this story to
the Court, the counsel for defence made
the best statement he could for his client.
maintaining that the engagement between
the parties was made subject to the con-
sent OF defendants father, which, at the
last moment, had been refused. But bench
and Jurors refused to take auy serious view
of the tilial subsection of lover fifty years
old, and verdictfor Gl $50 was promptly
awarded to the aggrieved lady. That was
sauce for the goose, as the old saying
goes, and its dlspensation typi6ed the Bri-
fish juryman's average alertness to vindi-
cate the fair sex but in another breach Of
promise suit, prosecuted in the same week
at the Lincoln Assizes, the sauce for the
gander, was not so obviously conceded. In
the latter action young farmer named
Smith, Of Deeping st. james, was the
plaintiff, and the defendant certain
lively Miss Fanny Jenkinson, who after
engaging herself to Smith, had heart
lesly written to him, Dear Friend
j write you a few lines to say / think
shall not be married at ALL 80 you must
make the best of it. feel very sorry for
it, and for YOU. i hope you will not write,
as | shall not write to you. | wish / had
told you on Monday, that you might have
known what to do. don't think | have
any more to say to you Your friend, Fan
ny dickinson. As, aside from his lacera-
ted feelings, the young yeoman had ex-
pended "a matter of twenty pun in pre-
paration for his wedding with the writer of
this chilling missive, he was not disposed
to be dismissed with such extreme ease of
manner, and brought suit against her for
breach OF promise accordingly. In iusti6-
cation OF the action he testified that the
engagement for marriage had been the pro-
posal OF Miss Fanny herself and she had
even engaged the two gentlemen who were
to act as gr0Omsmen. In her own evidence
Miss Jenkinson did not deny these points !;
nor did she make it appear that her final
remuneration of the compact had any better
cause than sudden caprice. BY the facts
elected, indeed, Mr.. Smiths case was
strong as need be- but by aesthetic senti-
ment, or social principle, it appeared to be
matter OF mere pleasantly to judge and
Jurors; His Lordship" himself cracking
a professional joke about kiss said to have
been exchanged between the litigants at
their last meeting. Nothing but sounds of
mirth did the forlorn young farmer evoke