Side Lights on Pantry Life.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 102, 30 April 1892, Page 3 (Supplement)

Side Lights on Pantry Life.

An Amusinu Breach of Promise Case,

' A Little Chattering Magi-ie.'

(FROM ODK SfECIAL CORRESPONDENT.)

London, March 10. Seven long yoars ago, Miss Mary Allison and Mr Anthony Charles Johnson, at thab time both in the service of Lord Walter Scotb ab Boughfcon llouso, Kefcatring, plightod their troth : to-day they are both free to woo and win whom they wiil, bub Mr Johnson's freedom has cost him £100 and a considerable amount in legal expenses. The story of their eevon years' courtship, aa told in tho Law Courts, is an amusing and instructive one. Tho plaintiff, a mature damsel on tho shady side of thirtyfive, gave evidence to tho client, thab after theengagementin Soptombor, ISB4, matters went on between them in tho usual way until tho bogintiing of lasb year. Mr Johnson's bohaviour up to thab timo, though not all her ardent love could wish for, was at least fairly satisfactory. Bub then ho bogan to cool, and Miss Allison found to her dismay thab his affection waa straying in the direction of a fascinating young female omployed aa maid bo Miss Scott. _ The plaintiff was no longer in tho service of Lord Waltez Scott, and, therefore, waa bound to co"i.aib her reproaches to paper. Mr Johna&SS'a replies characterised her letters as being 'full of infernal rot' (or words to that effecb), and requestor! her nob to keep on bothering him to write. Matters wont on in this way for n brief period, and then Miss Allison visited Boughbon for tho purposo of calling her lover to account. Ho received hor in a very peculiar manner, paying no attention to her demand for an explanation, and cavorting round tho room like an Indian on the warpath, whistling the while, and calling her names. Suddenly Mr Johnson stopped hia mad cancan, and fired a heap of questions ab her. ' Had she heard that ho had taken Miss Burb (Lady Scott's maid) to a bull ?' etc. •No, , replied Miss Allison, 'I didn't hear of these thing?.' ' You're a blankety blank liar,' retorted the gallant man. ' You've come down here to make ib blank hot for me.' Ho thon caught hold of Miss Allison and 'flumped' her into a chair in order (as he afterwards explained) bo prevent her carrying her ' tale of woo' to his master. Tho next day he told her ho was engaged to Miss Burb. After this they parted, but ere long correspondence was renewed by the defendant, who in penitence confessed himself an ass and a brute, and begeed forgiveness. Later he wrote that ib waa ' not too late to bring about their happiness,' also that ' she alone could save him.' Miss Allison was quite ready to become ' God's instrumenb for saving him,' but_ Johnson suddenly changed his mind, and intimated thab he would rather remain in possession of the joys of single blessoaness than marry a wife who would ever be suspecting him. To this Miss Allison replied thab ' if he could nob give his promise she would suspect him, as he had shown his inability to resist a toy and a butterfly. An honesb woman's love, matured by years, was the best in the long run, and he should pub on the armour of God to fighb againsb himself.' In the summer ot last year the pair mob again. Johnson wa3 anxious to compromise the matter for fear the law should swallow up his little savings. He also made an' attempt to patch up tho quarrel, but Miss Allison would have none of him unles3 he made ib clear to her thab the affair with Miss Burb was ab an end. 'That,' remarked Johnson, ' must be an open question. 1 Miss Allison said she must be quite sure, upon which he said, ' Very well, then, but I shall have my larks with the girls. . She told him not to talk like thab, and nothing more was said. Down to the end of July a desultory correspondence was kept up between the parties, and then another meeting occurred ab Vicboria Station. On this occasion Johnson asked her what she wanted with him, and Miss Allison said, ' To talk things over and find oub what your plans arc. Johnson's answer was briof-vory brief «(j 0 to . lam off back by tho 5 20. Miss Allison'3 reply was to the effect that she could go with him, and then Johnson. who was suffering from a prolonged wait in the refreshment bar, called her some ollonsive and disgusting names. Correspondence thereafter per solicitors. In cross-examination the lady confessed to being something under forty and raised a huge laugh in court by saying that there was ' never any " nonsense " between them,' and then adding with a deep blush, 'I mean nothing naughty.' When she went down to Boughton House she had no intention of exposing defendant, but rather meant to screen him. The 'she devils of whom she spoke in one of her letters were her fellow-servants. The ' Little Chattering Magpie,' bhe length and breadth of whose tongue the defendant would find, was Miss Burt.

Tho defendants examination showed that his wages were £65 a year, and thab his ' tips' were nob very large. He said he deeply regretted having used bad language to the lady, bub denied having ill-treated her physically. He was not drunk at Vicboria Station, but was impelled to bad language by her ' nagging' ab him. He considered himself engaged to her on that day.

Mr Justice Denman, in nirnining up, remarked that the plaintiff was undoubtedly entitled to damages, but only fair and reasonable damages, and he asked the jury to bear in mind that the plaintiff seemed very ready of tongue, and probably provoked retorts of an unpolite character. The jury found for Miss Allison, and assessed her blighted hopes nb £100.

The Lord Walter Scott with whom both the parties to the above suit wero in service is the brother of Lord George Scotb, Commodore, of the Australian station,