The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-05-07

anyone VINO thinks that they are loose
in either purpose or action is apt to
be rudely enlightened. The Scots
| Marriage laws demand that there be
a manifest and honest intention of
| marriage on the part of the contract
ors- This intention can be proved in
many ways. Indeed the law in GER
| tain cases is willing to infer it, when
| direct proof is not attainable, from
subsequent acts of the parties. I may
| fairly say that in all such cases courts
| of law will hold that mutually of in
tentlon is of the essence of marriage
| rite. This followed by co-ha bitation is
the marriage; though the latter to fol-
| low close on the declarations attached
| to each form have been duly fulfilled
such marriage may be either of two
kinds. The most formal is that effect
| ed bY-a minister or proper official after
| due calling of banns. or by notice Civ
| en- to sheriff or registrar The other
| form is by what is known in the law
as Irregular marriage This is in
legal parlance-for which / make no
apology as it is necessary that all mar
ried folk. or those intending to enter
that hohOurable condition should I'M
derStand it's known as intention fol-
lowed by copula.' Now you must know
that either form of marriage is equally
binding-equal in law and honour; and
wnen the conditions attached to each
form have been duly fulfilled such
marriage is irrefragable. In cd days
this facility of marriage made Gretna
Green. which is the first place across
the Border. the objective for clipping
lovers matrimOnially inclined: and as
till 1856 no previous residence in Scot
land was required. romance was sup
posed to stop at the Border. That is,
the marriage could be effected and
PARENTAL objections-did such exist
were overborne. There were many
cynical souls who held that repentance
for the haSty marriage could then be-
gin. 1 feel bound to say that this is
an opinion in which 1 do not myself
share.
I'm 1856 an Act of Parliament. Goth
Wet. Cap. SO. was passed, by which it
became necessary for the validity of
irregular marriage that at least one
of the two contractors should have his
or her legal residence in Scotland, or
have been resident in Scotland for
three full weeks next preceding the
marriage.
Il thank you. Colonel Ogilvie for
having listened to me SO patiently. But
as have no doubt that you three have
much to say to each other L shall with
draw for the present. This will leave
you free to discuss matters. And per-
haps may say, as an old man as well
as a responsible officer of the Law
that trust the effect will be to make
for peace and amity. L am staying
here in the hotel and I shall take it as
great pleasure and a great honour
if you will breakfast with me in say
be most welcome" With bow, in
which Difference and geniality were
mingled. ne withdrew.
Each of the three left kept looking
at each other in silence. Joy drew
closer to Athlyne and took his hand.
Colonel Ogilvie pretended not to no
tice the act-an effort on his part
which made his daughter radiant with
hope. The first words spoken were by
the Colonel:
"That man is a gentleman" The
two others felt that silence was present
discretion; to agree with Colonel Ogil-
vi III al,
dangerous as to disagree with him.
His next words were in no way con-
ciliatory though the arriere pensee
made for hope.
yourself in this unhappy matter? Re
member I in no way relax my inten- |
ton of-of punishment; but I am will |
ing to hear what you have to- say"
Athlyne WINGED at the word punish |
ment,' which was not one which he |
was accustomed to hear applied to
himself. But for joys sake he made |
no comment. He even kept his face
fixed so not to betray his anger. |
He felt that any change of subject, or |
drifting off that before them, must be |
for the better; things could. he felt, |
hardly be worse than at present. |
somewhat if Colonel Ogilvie could be
brought to recollect that he was not |
himself an undesirable person for alli- |
ance and that his intention of matri- |
mony had been already brought before |
joys father. In this conviction he
spoke:
LAS in this country, sir, intention
counts for so much. may crave your |
Indulgence for moment and refer |
you back to my letter to you on the |
subject of a very dear wish of mine
a wish put before you with a very de-
cided intention" Colonel Ogilvie's an
Swer,g given in manner of equal Suavity
was disconcerting; the bitterness be- |
hind it was manifest:
q think sir, there must be some
error-which is not mine. 1 never re-
ceived any letter from youi Your
epistolary efforts seem to have been |
confined to the ladies of nv family" |
With an effort Athlyne restrained him |
self. When he felt equal to the task |
he spoke, still with a manner of ut |
most Difference:
"An error there surely is: but it is |
not mine either. 1 posted yesterday at |
the Ambleside post office a letter to |
you. :" He was interrupted by |
Colonel Ogilvie who said bluntly:
II am not SO sure, sir, that the fault |
of my not reading such a letter was |
not yours; though perhaps not in the |
rived home last night and found the |
horrible state of things with regard |
to my daughters rash act-due to YOU |
this with a look of actual malevOlence |
81 was so upset that 1 did not look |
at the pile of letters awaiting me. |
only read joys messages" AS he said |
this Athlyne's eyes flashed and there |
was an answering flash in the eyes of |
the woman who looked so keenly at |
him; this was the first time since his |
arrival that the father had condes- |
cended to, even mention his daughters
name. There might be some softening |
of that hard nature after all. Then |
the old man continued:
IT put them in my pocket; here they |
are!"-Whilst he looked at the envel- |
opes in that futile way that some peo- |
pie unused TIC large correspondents
love, Joy said in easy calmness
which made her lover glance at her in |
surprise:
Daddy. hadn't you better read your |
letters now; we shall watt The tone |
was so much that to which he was
accustomed from her that he did not |
notice the compromising Eve" which