The Northern Guardian. — 1893-11-24 (Hartlepool, Cleveland, England)

ENGLISHMAN ABROAD.  IN the grand old times every Englishman was free to masquerade as a lord when once he had crossed that Channel that causes the average Frenchman to turn pale. What high jinks he oftentimes indulged in masses of coutemporary literature bear witness. There is that rollicking record of "The Dodd Family Abroad," written in jovial Lever's merriest vein of sheer Irish fun. In these days it is not so easy to impose upon the simple Continental innkeeper as it was when the Dodds became involved in such inextricable imbroglios. They had but to assume a sonorous title to obtain credit to any extent. Then there is that immortal instance lof the brilltant Becky, wife and better half of "Colonel Lor' Crawley." She never paid any one in all Paris after that triumphant winter that succeeded Waterloo. Nowadays the common swindler finds it difficult to make a permanent livelihood in one city; nay, in notorious instances he can find no restingplace in which to fulfil the story book ideal of "living happily ever after" nearer than Buenos Ayres. But, in spite of difficulties and extradition treaties, the gcutlepien our polite Gallic neighbours euphoniously term "knights of indusely "'do manage to exist in tolerable comfort. Now and then they meet in France with a luck that must amaze the. French law is not, understood of die British masses. The brief account of the trial of one Mr John Watson at the Seine Assize Court last week terminates oddly enough from our point of view. Mr Watson was deserted by his first wife, who jilted him for the tootlightm and died soon afterwards. Undaunted by this misfortune, he promptly re-entered .the holy bonds with a lady who, like Mr W. S. Gilbert's highly respectable gondolier, manifested a "terrible taste for tippling." She too disappeared, though she was known to be alive and dragging out a wretched existence as a hopeless dipsomaniac. Mr Watson then went to Paris, to reside there in the blameless capacity of agent for a well-known firm of dealers in blacking. His weakness for lovely woman caused him to forget that he owned a wife. A chance encounter with a fair flower vendor made him her captive, and he and his Louise were duly allied before the Mayor of Pantin. Domestic bliss was interrupted by a summons to Mr Watson to appear as principal in a case of embezzletnent. Other matters besides murder will out at trials, owing to the ill-bred pertinacity of opposing counsel. Louise discovered the existence of the other Mrs Watson, and prosecuted her lord for bigamy. So far, perhaps, the case presents .no very startling features, but its sequel is very quaint. Louise, , frantic with jealousy or indignation, showed, herself such a termtgant in court that the  1 inte,l  .---.-...,..............,......,,a,.,0  1 jury, to a man, forgot their native igallantry and acquitted the prisoner. As he left the dock, the judge, who must surely have been a henpecked husband, I gave him this salutary caution : " Watson, you are free. Avoid matrimony in future." let us hope Mr Watson is grateful to the kindly fate that brought him to justice in France and not in England. Week by week do injured British damsels bring actions for breach of promise, and almost as invariably do they get substantial damages. It is all very well to style the French the politest nation in the world, but after their desertion of Louise, who, it must be admitted, was really injured by Mr Watson's too great appreciation of the happiness of conjugal ' existence, they scareely deserve the appellation. It almost parallels a famous Venetian case, when a scamp of a husband murdered his wife. This Italian escaped cLiudeinuation on the following grounds of defenoe :—" Poor little fellw; he was not, perhaps, as faithful as be might have been, and the woman wearied hie), to death with her reproaches." Mr Watson may be advised to keep on the other side of the tumbling silver streak. His over-fondness for matrimony would lead him into difficulties here,, and he would probably get something very different from the courteous admonition hf his late judge if he tried his wiles upon a "bright and- beautiful English girl."