A Romance of the Counting House.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 304, 3 October 1888, Page 5

A Romance of the Counting House.

A painful romance of the counting-houpe occupied the attention of Mr Justice Charles and a jury in the Nisi Prius Court at the Birmingham Assizes on August 9th. Some two years ago, Miss Amy Follis, a young lady of nineteen, lately filling the situation of bookkeeper to a Birmingham manufacturing jewellery firm, was wooed and won by the office manager, Mr Matthew Wilson, and after a brief delay was introduced to the gentleman's friends as his future wife. For a few months all went merry as a marriage bell with the amorous couple, and love's young dream with them was a walking reality, as attested by the warmth and frequency of their letters ; but by-and-by disagreements began to arise, and the ' little rift within the lute ' of their affection widened perceptibly every day. 'My darling Amy ' became 'My dear Amy,' 'your fond lover Dick' sobered down dreadfully into ' yours truly,' the once ardent aspiration for 'hugs' and the multitudinous symbols for kisses in the gentleman's letters became conspicuous by their absence ; and when he did invite his lady-love to devote an afternoon to his society, which was not often, he sent her home dinnerless. Something is said about the objection of his friends to his marrying an ' office girl.' On the other hand, the young lady thought, that a certain fascinating widow was at the bottom of her lover's coolness ; and, though deeply distressed and indignant, she was not altogether surprised when she one morning received a letter from her faithless swain, coolly announcing his determination to break off the engagement. The jury concerned at the Birmingham Assizes on August 9 appraised Miso Follis's disappointment at £75.