Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-01-03
LOTE TRIALS IN COURT.
How the ATtful English Maiden,
Fleece their SW8ins.

How the ArtfuI English Maidens
Fleece their SEains.
London Truth treats of love suits at law
In late number showing unmistakable signs
Of Mr. Labouchere's own pen. 1t says: Having
claimed for girls wide latitude In withdraw
ing from engagements too hastily contracted
with men towards whom they discover that
they entertain no affection, / may be supposed
to excuse breaches OF promise on the male side.
] do not, however, for i think that a young
man should know his own mind, and he cannot
plead, like a girl that he was ignorant of the
world and pllghted his trOth without exactly
red.
A young man would not set up a horse and
gig without counting the cost, so he has no
lating its expenses and obligations In love, he
Is the attacking party; the proposal comes from
him, and II the girl accepts she does so on the
tacit understanding that he has considered the
question Of ways and means. If. by and by,
she ascertains that he is not in a position to
marry with comfort, she may, take 1t, retract
her promise with perfect propriety. Chtval-
rousness Is nothing but the moral rectitude
which prompts an honorable man never to let
woman suffer damage through his fault If he
can help It, and he always can help it to some
who was inveigled into a promise to marry his
tutors daughter, aged thirty. He backed out
of 1t; the damSel brought an action, and, being
good looking, obtained e5sO damages. There is
another case of an Oxford Undergraduate, the
younger son OF "a peer, who fell in love with his
lodging house keepers daughter, the young
lady who brought him up his coffee and toast
promise Of marriage with his blood, which he
did. being tipSy, and having punctured his arm
with a needle for the purpose.
This affair never went into court, for the
lads father preferred to compromise by a pay
ment of G1,0O0. In both these cases a whip
ping all round. for the maidens as well as the
young men, would have been the most equit-
able form OF settlement. Juries, who are gen.
orally foolish, show themselves chiefly SO in
awarding damages for breaches of promise.
They start from the assumption that man
something, and If the plaintiff be pretty they
CALAMITY assess damages which they consider
may be worth her acceptance. admit the eX-
pediency of fine, but think 1t should be in
fllcted by judge and not by jury. Naturally
there are cases In which compensation is ne
cessary to cover serious losses which the plain
tiff has incurred.
The other day Partisan actress brought an
action for damages against young man who.
on the faith of his promise to marry her, had
Induced her to throw up lucrative theatrical
engagement, to sell her town house at loss
and to purchase an estate in the country. AS
French law does not recognize promises to
marry, the plaintiff was nonSuited, which was
assuredly hardship. 1t is undeniable that the
women who suffer most in feelings and pocket
rom blighted matrimonial hopes are generally
the most backward in seeking legal redress
And this should make one look with some sus-
picion upon breach-of-promise suits. / confess
that do not like to see braZen-faced wench
sitting stolidly in court while laxative bar
rister tries to excite the compassion OF the jury
by eXpatiating on the agonfes of her heart. An
elderly widow in the same case is even less in
teresting. Not long ago weSt-country jury
awarded ESQ to an old lady OF 60 for the loss she
was supposed to have suffered in not marrying
swain of "A. There was no pretense of senti-
ment in the matter. The old man was well off,
and the old lady had set her cap at his money
bags, not at him. 1t is a pity that those who
differ as to the propriety OF atolishing breach
ofpromise suits should not at least agree to
draw the line somewhere as regards the age
when woman might be disqualified from be-
drawn at So.
There are cases of breach of promise whereof
the rights and wrongs would puzzle any cas-
uist. Take this instance. A young man falls
in love with girl who by dint Of great self
command succeeds In concealing from him that
she has very ugly temper, and no heart at
all. He proposes, and is accepted; but after he
has been engaged, some months. an accident
d1scl6ses to him the true character of his in
tended. What is he then to do? He knows
that If he marries he shall be thoroughly
them is in fact one Of continual chickering's, end
ing possibly in the divorce court / would ad-
wise no man to risk this kind of thing, which
runs counter to the primary aim Of marriage.
San institution for mutual help and comfort -
At the same time If a round payment in money
would compensate the bad-tempered young
lady for her disappointment, l think the man
is bound to make it. He should, indeed, es-
TEEN himself happy to hObble out of his Scrape
with honor at any price.
Our last case shall be that OF man who as
certatns that his betrOthed has some dismal Sc
cret in her own past life His action must then
be Influenced by the circumstances which have
put him in possession of this evil report. II he
have heard it from third parties, his intended
bride has obviously been guilty OF deceit, which
augurs Ill for her deicacy of feeling; bat if she
have made him the confession with her own
l1ps-tIembliGg and crying in her shame and
anxtety-why should not man in love condone
a fault that has been rcpented OF, and which
but for his pardon, may entail humiliation and
despair all through lifetime? 1t may BE- said
that the moral to all this is that men should
not contract engagements without full in
quiries, and nothing can be truer but passion
always acts hastily, and philosophy must ind
suggest maxims for preventing them.