A Merry Widow

Horowhenua Chronicle, 15 June 1910, Page 4

A Merry Widow

JILTED YOUTH OISTATNS £100

DAMAGES

Mrs Jesusa Agnes Ebsworth, the wealthy Kensington widow of fiftyfour, who jilted Mr Jack D. Bower, a twenty-five years old draper's assistant, was ordered in- tho Law Courts recently to pay £100 damages for breaking her promise to marry him.

"ft is an unusual rase," Mr Justice Grantham declared in summing up. "Mrs Ebsworth has not explained in any" way the letters she wrote to Itlhis young man. Her answer is that there was nothing more than a pkttonic affection, but thoy seem to indicate something more."

Mr Gill, in opening the defence, contended that the case was begun in tluj belief that Mrs Ebsworth would not como into court.

"It is an outrage on common sense," he added, "to suggest that Mr Bower fell! in love with her. A young man who talked about marriage to a woman like this could only do so with the object that he should be provided for, and not have to work for his living. "When I askwl him what he .'thoutrlit his n<\sitk>u would bj. he .'■aid he would be useful for the purpose of looking after the luggage when 'they were travelling together."

Mrs Ebsworth, a grey-haired woman, who was diresscd in black, said she had three children and. three grandchildren.

"When I was initrodneed to Mr Bower," she stated, "he told me he had been brought up by a cruel uncle who had appropriated some of his money. _The Rev. Vernon Busbridgc. who introduced him to me, asked me to use my motherly influence to dJssiKide him from rouging his face. I told him it was a degtad.ing and disgusting habit, and that unless he gave it up 1 would refuse to speak to him again.

"On December lGth he asked me to marry him. I did not think at first that T had heard aright. "1 said. 'Corttninly not: it is a most preposterous idea. How darod you ask me? 1 have no wish to many again, and certainly not a boy.' I lost my temper, and told him to go. I said it was a great piece of impertinence on his part.

"I saw him again tlwit evening, and I told him 'that it was a great presumption on his part <to nsk niu to marry him, and, besides, I could not afford to marry a. man who could not keep mo, as I should lose practically haff my income. "He promised not to mention the subject again. I thought ib was a boyish infatuation for an old lady because I 'had been good to hum. "At Preston lie showed me extracts from my letters, and said he was going to sue me for 'breach of promise. I replied' that there hud been no engagement, and die said, 'I sha.ll be most unscrupulous in what I my of you. "I told iliim that the worst ho could say of nie was that I had been over-generous where he was concerned. I think I used some strong language, and called him a scoundrel and a blackguard." "I took a motherly initereest in him," Mrs Ebsworth replied to Mr Wild, who appeared for Mr Bower. I never had any affection for him—only compassion." She denied many of the statements made by Mr Boweir, but the jury, after a few minutes' consideration, returned a verdict against her.