MISCELLANEOUS.

Clutha Leader, Volume XXVIII, Issue 1514, 2 May 1902, Page 6

MISCELLANEOUS.

A decision of the courts of Indiana h&a added a new terror to matrimonial engagements in that State. It is ruled that the death of one of the parties constitutes a breach of promise, entitling the survivor to receive compensatory damages to such an amount as may be equitable in the circumstances. In the case nuw decided (states a Home paper) a young woman sued the estate of her deceased fiancee, a young man of substance, and recovered GOOO dollars —her claim was 7000 dollars—for the breach of contract. It is not unusual even in this country, to read reports of fashionable marriages from which might infer that the presence of the bridegroom on such an occasion was a " separable accident," but the most advanced New Woman amongst us has not quite gone the length of avowing that his very existence it subordinate to the material benefits anticipated from the alliance.

Some years ago a son of a Dublin banker, while at college, made the acquaintance of a young lady. The pair plighted their troth in solemn form. The banker died suddenlv and (so the story runs) in monetary difficulties. The student determined that he would never marry until all his father's obligations were honorably discharged. The young man, as in duty bound, offered the maiden release from her promise to him. She refused to break her pledge. He emigrated to America, and after many years' toil a few months ago skcccued in clearing off the last of tie obligations in his father's name. He did not write to the lady—now grown older than she was—but recently she received a laconic cablegram : "All debts paid ; I am coming." The reply was : " I am waiting." He had been kept informed by friends that she was stiii alive. The marriage is to take place shortly. It may not be generally known that in Japan most of the horses, wear straw shoes, made of rice straw, and bound on with ropes made of the same material. In Iceland, again, ponies are shod with sheep's horns, whilst in other districts, the antlers of the mountain deer are used for the same purpose. In Egypt horses are sometimes shod with socks made with camel's skin. It is said that in a state of nature, the hoof acts as an effective covering to the sensitive structure of the foot. All the same it would not be possible to utilise horses in our British streets unless they were properly and carefully shod, whatever might be done with them over our ploughed fields and grazing lands.