VALET'S BROKEN VOWS.
AMUSING JSKEACH OF PROMISE SUIT. An amusing breach of promise case came before the London Sheriff's Comt lately far assessment of damages. The plaintiff was a good-looking young waistcoat mater named Marie Emily Bryant, who lives with her mother at 50, Upper Maiykbon c Street, and th© defendant Tacito Gfustava Agati, valet to a well-known gentleman in Partland Place. A remarkable feature of the case was the rapidity with which events moved. Ac- ; cording 'to Mr Ray, who appeared for the : ycning woman, the coupla became erigaged ' only in December last ; on March 12 Agati ; broke off the match, and in May Miss Bryi ant obtained judgment against him. The wedding day Mas fixed for early in April, and the valet wrote his sweetheart a number of affectionate letters, addressing ber''ati "My own dear JMai'ie," and signing himself " Yours for life, Tacito." In on» letter h& wiot^ : — '*' My own darling Maiie, — I intend to take, you out to see the new cathedral at Westminster. There is no haippier time than tho few moments I spend with you. Wh*» the days are longer I shall take you \ to Covent G-arden to see the beautiful flow- i ers there.' ... Think of me, my Marie ' — the man that love* you." In spite of his protestations of constancy ! the d«fendaat, said counsel, suddenly became- tfool, and in March he wrote as follows : — "It as impossible to live with cne amothex under the present crisis, for I can't see how we should be happy. At any rate, I don't feel that I could -with you realise my dream of life — a dream of happiness for ever. We have never been happy sinco I have known you, and so why should wo marry? Oh, iio ! Let us. forge fc every sucli : idea • and- I know your mother will be j happy now, for she has always cursed the sight of me. " I feel one thing, and that is that I havo always bean a. honest gentleman both with you and with everybody cl»e. . . .What good I have done for you' let it be forgotten. Nothing I wish' 'to 'have buck except my rings. . . . I do not wish to se>e you, j and I do not wush to discuss ajiy of this ■ very unfortunate thing, and from now I i close everything with tihk. I shuil not ye? : you to-night ; it would )je more than my s health can stand. I shall live abroad a.s ;. soon as I can. — Tacito. "P.S. — Never will I enter again in that unfortunate, -house t and I shall think this a J dream, amd a very bitter one." | Miss Bryant wus> called, a.nd said that she ' became a. Eomtin Catholic at the request ot the defendant. In cross-examination she said she had never tr-ld him she could earn enough to support them both. Sho had eaimed as much as £3 10s a week, but her average earnings were £2 10s a week. Mr Ray (to defendant's counsel) : Are you going to claim damages from the lady for not keeping your client ? Mies Bryant admitted wiiting a wild letter, commencing "My Tacito., in mercy's name come to me." In that letter she ' threatened 1 to kill horwlf. It was true that she was charged ;tt M;irlbor.>ugh Street with beating tiie d«f<»nd;uit'.s brother, and bound over for three months. It xras a fako charge. Mrs Bryant, mother of th> plaintiff, stated that the defendant called on her after breaking off the engagement, and f-aid. " Come and sit on my knee, mother, mud everj^hing will be all light " Coun-sel : Did you sit on his knee ? The Witness : Of course I did The jury assessed the damages at £25.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TS19030911.2.42
Bibliographic details
Star (Christchurch), Issue 7807, 11 September 1903, Page 3
Word Count
617VALET'S BROKEN VOWS. Star (Christchurch), Issue 7807, 11 September 1903, Page 3
Using This Item
No known copyright (New Zealand)
To the best of the National Library of New Zealand’s knowledge, under New Zealand law, there is no copyright in this item in New Zealand.
You can copy this item, share it, and post it on a blog or website. It can be modified, remixed and built upon. It can be used commercially. If reproducing this item, it is helpful to include the source.
For further information please refer to the Copyright guide.