A "LADY OF GENTLE BIRTH."

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14984, 4 May 1912, Page 2 (Supplement)

A "LADY OF GENTLE BIRTH."

MAN'S ASTOUNDING LETTER.

A remamcable letter written by a man to his wife was read in the Divorce Court, when Mrs. Lilian Cora Stafford North cote, 'of Sandringham Court, Maida Vale, was granted a decree of restitution of conjugal rights against her husband, Mr. Leonard Augustus Stafford Northcote, formerly an officer in the Army Service Corps. There was no defence The letter, written from Sydney, New South Wales, was read by counsel, as follows —

" You will hardly have failed to guess from the tone of my last few letters that something has occurred to make an entire change in our lives I hope you will have so guessed and therefore be prepared, for I cannot help thinking that this cannot be an entire surprise to you. I will guarantee that full provision ■will bo. made for you and the children. I have cut myself entirely adrift from my former life, and thrown in my lot with someone else. Try and not take it too badly, because you will be far better off as regards money, and your only deficiency will be myself. * I do not think I shall be much missed.

"The step I have taken is absolutely and completely irrevocable. We have known each other for a considerable time —nearly three years—and have been in love with each other most of that time, though we have only met very occasionally during that period. "You have never heard of her, and no nwmbor of your family or friend of yours and mine has ever met her. Further, you need not imagine that plie is not of gentle birth and breeding, because she is. We met again, and that finished the matter. "Believe me, I am honestly and genuinely sorry to cause you any pain. 1 consider that you have always" done your duty to me as my wife, and as the mother of my children, and I blame mvself entirely for this, though I do not "consider our life has been as it should have been. "Forgive me if you can, and don't think too hardly of us. Don't try and get me back. Any attempt can only be met by refusal and cause you unnecessary pain. You will hear again from my solicitors shortly.—