The Washington herald., 1914-03-01
HER notes MADE
SPICY READING
Mrs. Leslie-Melville Wrote
Her Opinion Of Hubby, and
1t Wasn't Much.
LONDON SOCIETY GLOATS
Whitewashing of Earl Fitzwilliam in
Divorce Court Still Ensrossins
Topic in Higher Circles.

3 London, Feb. &.-The whitewashing of
Earl Fitzwilliam, by royal command"
in the divorce court this week continues
to provide society with its most engross-
ing topic. 1t leaked out today that un-
der the deed of separation between Mr..
and Mrs. Alexander Broderick Leslie
Melville, who We're the principals in the
divorce in which Fitzwilliam was named
as correspondent, Melville, who is a
wealthy banker. Is to allow his wife S. 900
a year and pay all debts contracted by
her and the children. It also is said that
in consideration of Melville net Offering
any evidence in support of his claim that
his wife had misconducted herself with
Lord Fitzwilliam, the husband is to be
absolved from all costs in connection
with the suit These costs run into many
thousands of dollars, as some of the lead
ing barristers OF England were retained.
Some particularly illuminating letters
passed between the parties to the suit
and are set forth in the divorce papers.
At cne time. when a settlement of 1900
a year upon Mrs. Melville was being dis
cussed, she wrote to her husband:
II can hardly believe this to be true
You take and waste the eight best years
of my life and then you offer me a
starvation pittance because you know
perfectly well that 1 could not exist for
six months on this. My only recourse
would be to go on the stage, which !
fully intend doing IL you carry this out
and do not give me enough TO live on.
Lots of managers would be glad TO have
me for an advertisement alone as Mrs
Alexander Leslie Melville, which is what
shall call myself, and have already
arranged to see some one with a view
to a proposed engagement which in
tend TO have advertised largely. l also
shall make II very clear to the world
at large why / have been forced to earn
my own living and my daughters. You
are making a bigger fool of yourself
than i thought possible. Are you not
disguised with yourself? Every one
else is.
Asks for Money.
A little later Mrs. Melville was ap-
parently short of money. for she wrote
her husband asking for some, and
added: Il tried TO make bit by SELL
ing that beautiful piece of rubbish you
gave me as an engagement ring. I
was offered only IS for II. However.
1 suppose in a sudden moment of gen.
erosity you paid f15 for II. Thank God
there is a good time coming"
After the scene caused by her arrival
home at o'clock in the morning. when
she had been dining alone with Lord
she wrote her husband:
When you have quite recovered
from your drunken orgy and are suffi-
ciently sober to apologize for your be-
havior this morning I will come to see
you. and not before"
At the same time she wrote Lord
Fitzwilliam: IF by any chance you. get
an extraordinary letter from Alex. please
do not take any notice of IT, / am
sorry TO say he really seems to have
quite gone of his head-this between
you and me. 1 told him he had started
a religious mania some time ago and II
really has affected what little braiL he
formerly possessed. 1t has now sud-
denly reached a most unpleasant climax
and he is suspicious of everything 1 say
or do. I hope he will not do anything
so i'll advised as to write and perhaps
accuse you of unheard of things without
any cause. but then / know i can trust
you to write him back the letter that
he deserves and saying that you think
that the mere fact that 1 was at sup
per with you and that / was back too
late for dinner is nothing. This is only
to yforewarn you, not to alarm you. But
l cannot help saying that this nom
conformist religious mania has gone
to his head. Never shall 1 let my
daughter marry a really good man."
Lord Fitzwilliam responded with the
right kind of a letter to the wife to allay
the suspicious of a suspecting husband.
He refers to their harmless supper" and
expresses his regret that MI Melville
did not accept the invitation to join
them.