A BLOW TO HIS PRIDE

NZ Truth, Issue 1193, 11 October 1928, Page 4

A BLOW TO HIS PRIDE

— + Did Not Turn Other Cheek To Irate Wife (From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Dunedin Representative.) George Street. Shop-windows aglitter with the gay enticements of Friday night. The hurly-burly crush of shoppers, the light laughter of theatre-bound throngs, the chatter of penny -proud children. Then u Smac\ * .. . followed by the sound of high-pitched ooices — a fast gathering and inquisitive crowd — a fainting Woman carried into a nearby shop ...

WHAT wan it? . . i Tragedy? Well, hardly; In fact, few would have known the origin of the brief excitement had it not been that one" John Saundera, who, with a lady friend, was placidly gazing upon the tempting display of a shop- window, became so upset that he subsequently decided to tell the world all about it. What upset Saunders was the "smack" — echoing on his own blushing cheek, and coming from the hefty swing of his irate wife. It's a strange thing about wives— they never can bear to see their respective Johns or Joes arm-in-arm with some other Janes or Josephines! And even when mutually separated — as m the case of John and Adelaide Marjorie Saunders — the old "who's-been-at-my-bread-and - milk" instinct must rise to the surface. So when John and his landlady friend halted m their Friday night jaunt along George Street on September 21, it was

most embarrassing for both of them when Adelaide put m an appearance, and spotting her John nose-pressing

at a shop-window with his arm-in-arm companion, decided upon a little cavewoman retaliation. Adelaide slapped John's face, . then, assuming a less prehistoric rofe of femininity — promptly collapsed. Humiliating for Saunders? — well, It must have been. But if he looked more foolish after his wife'a little public scolding than he did as he left the witness-box at the Dunedin Police Court, after asking Magistrate Bartholomew to bind hia wife over to keep the peaoe, then he mußt have. felt like the clown m the custard -tart aot. Just how' sore Saunders was about his wife's interference was Indicated by his suggestion m the summons that Mrs. Saunders should answer a criminal charge of assault. But, it seems, Saunders merely wished to air his grievances, and after Lawyer Irwin, for Mrs. Saunders, had conducted a little cross-examination, it didn't require much of the bench's persuasion to get the informant to withdraw the application. Saunders told his worship that, accompanied by his landlady, he was looking m a shop-window on . thp evening of September 21, when

Slapped His Face

Mrs. Saunders approached and . swung him round as a full-face target for her fistlo resentment to his being with the other woman. He had been separated from his wife for the past four and a-half months, arid wag paying her £ 2 a week In accordance with a separation order drawn up by his wife's solicitors. Counsel: Have you ever left your clothes at Lawyer's Head, so that your wife would think you had committed suicide?— No, I left my ... Well, what did you leave anything there for? — It was an old oilskin coat Are you living m the same house aa this other woman? — Yes. You are very friendly with her?— l am nothing of the sort. You take her to the pictures and shopping? — Yes. You say m the summons that you are afraid of your wife?— Yes, I am afraid ot her m this way: I might

forget myself and do something If she annoys me again. You have nothing: against her?— No. She has always been a good wife? — I am not prepared to answer that.

Why are you afraid of her?— Well, It is hard to be slapped In th 6 face In George Street on a Friday night and not to retaliate. Without calling his olient, counsel urged that it was ridiculous for Saunders to claim that he was afraid of his wife. The woman had been very ill for some time; m faot, during a recent illness which was attended by a major operation, it was feared that she would not reopver. His client had been advised by the doctor not to get herself excited, and when she observed her husband arm-in-arm with the other woman, she became "all flustered" and after slapping his face, collapsed and had to be carried into a shop. Counsel vouched for Mrs. Baunders' future behavior, as she now | realized that she could not interfere with her husband whilst they were separated. The bench then took the matter m hand, and after briefly suggesting to the husband that the proceedings might be withdrawn, promptly dismissed the information on Saunders giving his assent. <