CURTEST COURTSHIP ON RECORD.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXII, Issue 8964, 6 November 1907, Page 4

CURTEST COURTSHIP ON RECORD.

The American press has unanimously bestowed the title of “ Champion Lover of the World” on James , Peyton, at present of Des Moines, lowa, but an Englishman coming of a good family in the West country. _ Little, red-headed, but a prospenous man in the capital of the great State of lowa, he fell violenlty in love with Catherine Homan, petite, nineteen, and only daughter of the richest woman in the place. This was eighteen mouths ago. He fell in love at first sight, but his prosperity being only newly acquired he made no formal avowal till just twelve months ago. The belle of lowa, like a dutiful child, said, ‘‘Ask mamma.” Mrs Homan, like a true Capulet, sought the protection of the law, and I Peyton was injuncted from talking I to or in any way approaching the I young lady. Peyton vowed he would make the the girl his wife. They had not , barred him the post. He wrote leti ters morning, noon, and night. The family solicitor went into court and secured an injunction restraining him from sending letters Peyton promptly got hunches of telegram forms, and began to send loving telegrams and proposals of marriage to Miss Homan over the wires at a shilling the message, i A week of this was enough for Mrs Homan, and the family solicitor moved once more to obtain an injunction against the young Englishman, restraining him from sending Miss Homan any telegrams. Now in every house and shop of any size iu America is installed the telephone. Peyton commenced to call up the girl he had sweru should he his bride. Another injunction was issued. For a week Peyton thought out the situation. Then he commenced to send Miss Homan bouquets of flowers, which conveyed many meanings. But Mrs Homan knew nothing of the language ot flowers, and there was no iu junction. Tins time he found an ally iu a local confectioner. Every day there arrived at tno Homan house sundry lovely cakes covered with white icing. On the top of the icing iu pink, Or red, or green frosting, were inscribed messages such as: ‘‘Darliug Kitty, I love you. Will you he ray wife?—Jim. ” These cakes became so numerous and the messages so ardent that once more application was made to the law, and another injunction was issued against Peyton. For a week or two Peyton was quiet. Then he commenced to send Miss Homan i photographs of himself specially taken.- The inevitable injunction came along, and so much talk had been made that the courts made no objection to an application for the appointment of a commission to examine Peyton as to his sanity. .. The commission, with much solemnity, brought iu a report that “Mr Peyton was quite sane on every subject except that he seemed to he insanely in love. ’ ’ Mrs Homan was now decidely aggressive. She urged on her solicitor, and an application for a Court of Inquiry was granted. ; Peyton was cross-examined. He swore that the girl loved him, and that they were now secretly engaged. When Katherine Homan was called she refused to answer any questions until Peyton left the courtroom. Then she declared that she did not love him, hut loved another man and that they were not engaged secretly or iu any way. Peyton was brought iu for sentence of some sort, but insisted on the judge reading a few of the love-letters ho produced. Those were of a quite recent date and signed ‘‘Katherine.” After reading them Judge Howe said it was too ' puzzling a case for him. He had decided to follow the strictest lines of the law, and granted an iujuncl tiou restraining Peyton from in any way accosting, interfering, addressing, etc., Katherine against her wish. Mrs Homan immediately sent ; Katherine out of the city to distant , relatives in Mauitou, Colorado. Peyton tried iu every way to discover whore the girl had gone. It took him at least a fortnight, bribing right and loft, to got the address. After that ho wasiuMauiton as soon as he could get there. The next day Mrs Homan and a host of Peyton’s friends iu Des Moines' were startled 1 by receiving telegrams announcing his marriage to Katherine at Manitou. Ho had had won the greatobstacle race after all. It appears that ho lie was not iu Mauitou more than an hour before ho found Miss Homan, and immediately drove her to the nearest clergyman and got married.