"Too Fond of Myself."

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 285, 6 December 1904, Page 4

"Too Fond of Myself."

BRIGHTON HOTEL ROMANCE . (Daily Mail.) Two young people appeared as parties in a breach of promise case before Mr Justice Bucknili and a common jury on Oct. 26. The plaintiff was Miss Gould, a comely young lady who wore a steelgrey gown and a black hat. Born in easy circumstances, Miss Gould had been driven to earn her own livingsaid Mr Powell, K.C., her counsel—and was employed as an assistant housekeeper at the Grand Hotel, Brighton, when the defendant met her< He was Captain Guy Sabine, of the Militia battalion of the Itmiskilling Fusiliers, and in 1902 he was recuperating at Brighton after a term with the West African Frontier Regiment, where as a subaltern he had permanently undermined his health. They met and, according to the statement of counsel, loved.' They became affianced lovers, and the captain gave Miss Gould presents to the value of £loo,and far beyond his means, said Mr R. W. Turner, his counsel. For at that time he had only a wound gratuity from the Colonial Officesome £3oo* " DEAR LITTLE GOOSE." After their first separation: he wrote Miss Gould affectionate letters. He was on his way back to West Africa, and his earlier missives were addressed to "My Darling Georgie." One ran;

I have received your letter. Needless to say, I was delighted to get it, and hear from my dear balby girl. You dear little goose, I did not want to write to Miss B—— except to hear about you. I think young p i s a p j g lto g,, and see you sometimes. lam anxiously waiting; for my locket with your little baby face inside. I want to wear j it round my neck as a charm against [ill-luck or harm. Fancy, on Saturday next it is your birthday. I hope you and I will be able to spend your next Ibßrthday i» some quiet bungalow together.

And after that, ran counsel's story, ™ere fell a great silence. Then Miss Gould, beginning to wonder, wrote a letter wihioh contained tiheso passages, which counsel claimed as a release for Captain Sabine. She wrote: "If it is that you no longer care for me or feel that you have made a mistake, write and tell me so, for I hope I nave more pride than to malrry any man against his will even if it wore to break my heart." "DON'T WANT TO MARRY." Then, said Mr Turner,, Captain Sabine seized the opportunity thus given' him to be free. In a long letter he said: My dear Ivy,—Your letter of February 10 I found here on my return from Northern Nigeria. I must give you some pain, I know, but Ido want you to release me from my engagement to you. I do not love you as I ought. It is not anyone else, but I kce]> putting it off; for I feel that I da not want to marry anyone. lam too fond of myself, and I don't want to marry anyone. I just feel I am not fit to get married. May you meet Someone more worthy of your great love than I. Two months later Miss Gould replied refusing to release the captain. " I do not see how I can release you." she said, and then referred to how she had first of all refused him. How you can trifle with my innermost feelings and make me a laughing stock I don't know. I will not tamely submit to being thrown aside just like an old glove Oh, Guy, return to your old love.Georgie. £l5O DAMAGES. Cross-examined as to the passage in 'her first letter, "I a m quite willing to give you up if it is for your happiness," Miss Gould said: "I wrote it, but I did not mean it. I had no intention of giving him up." Captain Sabine, the defendant, was the onSy other witness.. He stated that at the present time be was living upon £IOO a year, wound allowance from the Colonial Office. Square biilt, with fair hair and blond moustaches, the captain raised a lau™.h when Mr Powell asked him whether he has not expectations of a civil appointment from the Colonial Office. "It is one thing to expect an aP _ pomtment and another thing to get one," he answered.

The jury found a verdict for the plaintiff for £l5O. Judgment was eartered accordingly, gitjj cflßta,