Evening star., 1923-05-07
Doting Mammas Take Long Chance
In Sending Boys to English Schools


BY THE MARQUISE DE FONTENoY.
chary about sending their sons TO
complete their education and to ac-
quire oxford or Cambridge culture
they are quite distinct from one an
other-at English universities. For
their boys are confronted there by
perils of which their families over
here have no conception.
According to a decision just rem
dered by Sir Rigby Swift one of the
100000 year judges of the kings
bench division of the high court Of
Justice in London. contract to marry
is just as binding as a commercial
contract. It is not necessary that the
contract should be in writing-a YER
bal agreement is sufficient young
man takes young woman out 10
dinner. and over the champaEne-of
course 1t is in England-asks her to
marry him. Or. if she is the elder of
the two. she is apt to ask him. II
either reply in the affirmative a con-
tract has been entered into which is
as enforceable as the lease of a house.
\ contract thus made is given less
serious thought and consideration
than the purchase or sale of a horse
vet, a horse can be resold or gotten
rid Of IN twenty dozen other different
ways. whereas a contract to wed is
apparently almost irrevocable.
The case before Sir Rigby Swift,
and in which he was asked to pro-
nounce judgment. was a breach of
promise suit. The male defendant
demurred at marrying the girl on the
ground that after thus lightly con-
tracted agreement she had grossly
1t, l,r h.
learned Judge pointed out that IL
display of temper were to be held to
prove unfitness for marriage. half the
weddings in the country might never
take place.
1t had been generally understood
until now that written evidence In
the form of love letters were neces-
sary as evidence to establish a suit
for breach of promise. But. accord
ing to Sir Rigby Swift. this is not
So A mere verbal contract is quite
sufficient-especially If there happens
stance, of waiter at the dinner
table. But, even the witness is not a
sine qua non.
This opens up new horizons, and il
has been suggested that in view of
the general ignorance which prevails
as to the validity of verbal contracts,
a copy of Sir Rigby Swift's court de-
cision should he posted to every mill
tary mess. and should appear on all
the college notice boards of the
various universities.
Brahan Castle, which has played so
great a role in the history of Scot
land, and which was the ancestral
home Of the late Lord Seaforth, has
been left, together with his extensive
estates in Rosshire, according to his
will just probated, for life to his
childless widow. only child and heiress
of the late Edward Steinkopf of
Berkeley Square, London, who in ad
dition to being the chief owner of the
Apolonaris Springs in Germany, was
for many years the proprietor Of the
chased under a promise from Prince
Bismarck to supply him with special
information. The ST. James Gazette
was until the day Of Mr.. Steinkopf's
death, regarded as the mouthpiece of
the German government in the Eng
lish press, and it was owing to the
intimate relations between it's edito-
rial rooms and the German depart
ment of foreign affairs in the
Wilhelm Strasse in Berlin, that Fred
erick Greenwood. the famous editor
severed his connection. The widowed
Lady Seaforth has. however, very
little sympathy with the land of her
fathers origin. For, happening to be
in Germany when the great war
broke out. she was arrested there as
an English spy by the Teuton author
tiles. was subjected to a great deal of
i'll treatment before being able to
clear herself OF the imputa ton. and