THE ETERNAL LODGER.

NZ Truth, Issue 152, 16 May 1908, Page 5

THE ETERNAL LODGER.

THE AMENITIES OF THE AMBROSES.

His Last Long Love Letter.

A Beano of Fish, Chips and Beer.

An interesting story of double cussedness was- told m the Wellington Magistrate's Court on Monday before Mr W. G. Riddell, S.M., by Harriet Amelia Ambrose, who made an application for a maintenance order m respect of herself and child, against her loving hubby, James Charles Ambrose. Mr Wilford appeared for complainant and Mr Hindmarsh for defendant. Harriet Amelia Ambrose stated that she had been married to defendant eight years and had one child. James Charles had resided with witness m Ingestre-street for five years, but suddenly hooked it at New Year whilst his loving wife " was out working, the said loving wife having worked hard to maintain herself and child and endeavored to make home comfortable. Witness had a number of boarders. James Charles, she asserted, had not given her anything since HE LEFT HIS HAPPY HOME or for, a fortnight previous to his departure.

In reply to Mr Hindmarsh, Harriet Amelia said that she had no money otoly what she worked for. There was a hoarder m the house whom her hubby had introduced named Herbert Rawlings, hut •she' had never been told by her loving James Charles that Rawlings would have to leave ; indeed, it was the other way about. She did not tell hubby that if Rawlings went he would have to go too. Witness, never got drunk, but hubby did, and when he was drunk he formed the idea that his dutiful Harriet Amelia was m a state/ of intoxication. Witness certainly got her supper beer, but she indignantly denied that she went to the Foresters' Arms for supper beer m the afternoons. Asked as to what' she thought was a moderate amount of supper beer, witness said, "A pint for two persons." defendant had visited the -. house nearly every week since he left home and called wi-t* ness the most vile and insulting ••ames, and on one occasion he struck her 'nost violent blow. Pressed by J Mr Hindu larsh, Harriet Amelia would not admit that James Charles was a respectable, hardworking man. Jane Simpson, a girl of about 16, got a frigh.t on entering the witness-box and \ after stating that she had seen James Charles knock Harriet Amelia about, got tied up when asked by Mr ' Hindmarsh how long slie had resided at the Ambrose's happy home. First the girl said that she was only two days m the house when James Charles took his hook, then she said she had resided there, eighteen months, but was equally sure that she had only resided there two days. The mother of the last witness also gave evidence. In reply to Mr Hindmarsh, witness denied the suggestion that she had ever visited a pub m company with Harriet Amelia and had never seen that lady go on her own to the swankery. Witness . had never seen the good -lady the worse for liquor. James Charles Ambrose, defendant, said that a friend of his named Herbert Rawlings was destitute, and he, like a good Samaritan, took Rawlings home and fed him until such time as he CQuld get work. One day on returning from work he found the lodger Rawlings and Harriet Amelia m a drunken condition, not fit to be seen, whilst his own dinner was cold on the stove.. Another time he came home a,t 1.30 m the early hours of the morning, and on entering his bedroom found that his wife was not there. Witness crept quietly to the bedroom of his friend, where he heard suspicious sounds, and found Iris WIFE IN HIS FRIEND'S BEDROOM. Rawlings begged him to do nothing as, he said, nothing had been done. "Witness allowed the incident to pass, but later on a similar incident occurred. On this second occasion he discovered his wife with Rawlings. m the latter' s bedroom, and thtey were eating fish and chips and they had two square faces of beer before them. This was also at 1.30 a.m., although Harriet Amelia had gone to bed with witness at 10 p.m. Witness told the lodger i that \he would have to get out of the house as quick as he could, and he went the following morning. Harriet Amelia said to witness," "If Rawlings goes, you'll go too." and when he returned from work the next day be found his Tjox and clothes m ; the passage. He was, m fact, turned out and a few days later Rawlings was back at the house. Witness' wife was not destitute. When she worked she used to get drunk and was drunk as late as Friday, and Saturday last. Witness was m receipt of £1 7s 6d per week at present as sick pay. In reply to Mr Wilford, James Charles said that he 'had given his wife £3 10s, a fortnight before Christmas. His wife, he said, committed adultery, but he would not say she was a low-class woman. Witness admitted having writtem the following letter on the 22nd of March, 1908 :— J. C. Ambrose, c/o Wellington Harbor Board, 22/3/' 08. My dear wife,— Excuse me calling you that, hut it is the last time I shall call you by that name again. It is now nearly three months since we parted from one another and our lives have drifted apart, but I suppose it is for the best. Now, Kitty, what I want you to do is to destroy anything that reminds you of mo, that photo of the group whei^l was taken at work, and anything that will , ever bring me before your eyes again. I have nothing to say against you, for the seven years and five months that we were together you was always a dutiful wife and a good mother to our child, and my only wish is that you will always' be the same to the boy for tlie sake of the love we once bore one another. Kitty, you need never fear that I shall ever molest you again, as lam. leading a very different life now, but that need not trouble you. Your name shall never cross my lips again unless it is forced from me. As you told me the last time we met that we had better pass out of one another's life I have come to the conclusion that it must bo such. Dear Kit. 1 hope that you will never think that I have gone to the bad but a long way from it, I have seen my folly and repented it, but 'tis the old saying, it is never too late to mend. I don't know how long I shall stay m Wellington, but I don't think that it will be for long.

MY LIFE IS PASSING AWAY from me very quietly, it may be days or years,, but I hope I shall not go m Wellington, that is tiie reason that I think that it is best that I should leave here and go where no one will know me, and go iii peace to meet my dear old mother m Heaven. Now, dear wife, this is the last letter that I shall ever send you, wishing you all the luck you deserve is my everlasting prayer. Give my love to Arthur, and if it is not too much to ask you to forgive me, try to and forget. This is all I have to say to you so good-bye, God bless you. From your late ever-loving husband, JAMES CHARLES AMBROSE. (Good-bye.) Mr Wilford, haviog read the letter to the Court, said he had no more questions to Defendant was ordered to pay 5s per week towards his wife's maintenance and 2/6 towards the child's support. m In reply to Mr Wilford, his Worship said an application for increased contribution could be made when defendant resumed his worff. Another case m which complainant and defendant are concerned was .adjourned un-« til May 18th.