The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1880-04-28
A LONDON ROMANCE.
Extraordinary Details Of Remarkah
Breach of Promise Case.

EXTRAORDINARY Details of q Remark able
Breach of Promise Case.
Real life sometimes appears to sue-
gest novels, but it is not so often that
real lite seems to be suggested by them.
A striking example of the latter expert
ence is, hewever, at hand from London
which bids fair to be something more
than a nine days wonder.
The story, so far, is an exact reproduc
ton OF the plot of recent novel. The
hero is guardsman, rich and of fam
Gus county family. He had been engaged
tor two years to gentlewoman of posi-
ton to whom ne was thought to be ten
DERBY attached. 1t was settled that the
marriage was to take place short time
ago at the fashionable church of St.
Georges, Hanover Square, in London.
The intending bridegroom insisted up
on selecting the wedding dress of his be-
trothed. He likewise ordered the mar
riaee cards and bought the ring. More
over, ne bought a set of travelling trunks
bearing his own initials stamped over
those of the lady; and he even arranged
with a coachmaker to alter the mono
gram, on the panels of two carriages
owned by her to his own.
But the eager bridegroom g preparations
did not end here. He invited an old
friend, country vicar, to come to Lon
don to perform the marriage service; and
lastly, he read the marriage settlements
carefully over to the bride that was to be
on the night before he lett London, to
pass the four days Immediately preced-
ing the wedding day, with some friends
at his seat In the country. Now, since
that night the lady has never set eyes on
the gentleman, and so far forth the action
or the novel to which allusion has been
made has been precisely followed.
Standing alone, the tale as hitherto re-
lated might leave all sorts of things to be
surmised or hoped for. 1t might be con-
jectured that the unfortunate gentleman
had been assassinated aud his BODY
thrown into the Thames. 1t might be
imagined that he had been abducted and
carried off somewhere to return in dra-
matte manner at a critical moment. It
might be supposed that some village
beauty whom he had deceived had drug
ged his tea, or that he had gone mad and
been shut up in lunatlc asylum. But,
unhapplly, none of these explanations,
any OF which might save masculine honor
or feminine pride, seems admissible IN
the light OF succeeding events. The
offended fair one has deliberately begun
suit of breach of promise of mar
riage, step which quite plainly i'm
plies that the gentleman is known to be
near enough at hand to defend himself
But how can he defend himself2 Lon
don Is agape with curiosity to hear how
this momentous question is to be answer
ed. 1t is said with force, that gentle
msn and guardsman does not behave in
this way without having some reason or
excuse for 1t. The suit for breach of
promise was probably not begun with
out some previous attempt at an adjust
ment, and the course Of the lady implies
that she at least Is not afraid of the re-
velations trial OF the case may bring
forth. A person in her position does not
begin such suit with the motives of
Mrs. Burdell, nor on the other hand is
British guardsman of family ana wealth
likely to be animated by the purposes
imputed to, the too seductive Plckwick.
How far facts are to follow fiction in the
ensuing history OF this remarkable af-
fair, and how far they are to assume an
original type that shall serve as a pat
tern for fctions to come, will now be di-
vulged; and as the case is set down for
early trial, the eager world will not have
to wait long to be enlightened.