AN IRISH ROMANCE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 85, 19 July 1910, Page 6

AN IRISH ROMANCE.

Mrs. Kevin Izod O'Doherty, wnose death is announced, was (the London ! Daily News says) Miss Eva Mary Kelly, the daughter of a Galway gentleman, who, when quite a young girl, contributed poems to Gavan Duffy's "Nation," un- ; der the name of "Eva," which attracted wide attention. Among the admirers of > . "Eva's" poetry was Kevin Izod O'D'olier- : ty, a young medical student, who- was also engaged in the patriotic movement. From a literary admirer, O'Doherty ad- , j vanced to the position of "Eva's" lover. : As registered proprietor of the Tribune, another Dublin paper of rebellious tens • dencies, he was arrested for seditious writing, and -had as his prison companion Sir Charles Gavan Duffy. The jury disagreed twice, and on the eve of the third trial he was offered what was virtually a free pardon if he pleaded guilty—he had certainly written the article wnlch was the basis of the charge. He then sent for "Eva." "I don't like this idea of plead inn guilty," O'Dohertv said. "What shall I do?'' "Do?" said Eva: "why, be a man and face, the worst; I'll wait for || : von. however lon« the sentence may lie." jj ■ O'Doherty was found guilty, and w-}.-.-I sentenced to ten years' transportation. , Being allowed out on parole in Australia | i he was able to finish his medical studies J I and take out his degree. Years passed, 1 and he. returned to Ireland, where "Eva"' i awaited him. Two days after his return to Dublin they were married, and O'Doi herty, with his bride, returned to Ausj tralia as a voluntary exile. In 188!) i O'Doherty came back to the Old Land. j and entered the House of Commons as ' member for North Meath. He quickly tired of Parliamentary life, and once more returned to Australia, where he survived, in Brisbane, until a few years ago.

FEMININE FASHIONS.

The philosophy of clothes has been developed a little farther in Berlin. We tremble in referring to the details (remarks the Evening Standard and St. James' Gazette), seeing that they concern matters in which woman is generally supposed not merely to know best but to possess the only sound knowledge. Luckily, the responsibility may be thrown on to the shoulders of two learned philosophers with great names. Nobody is so daring as your professional philosopher; nobody has had so much experience of how denunciation should he borne. Cheerfully, then, we give away Professor Herkner, sublimely confident in their ability to stand the racket. Professor Wagner goes the length of declarim? that the immense hats now in

vogue are signs of decadence and degeneration; Professor Herkner contents himself with saying that open-work stocking are improper. We refrain, perhaps ignobly, but at any rate prudently, from expressing any opinion on such delicate subjects. All we want to do is to remind the learned, dashing professors that woman has been going to the dogs, so far as her dress is concerned, since Eve improvised the first garment in Eden. *li(» is not perhaps more eccentric now than she has ever been. Dante for.:;-': worse than open-work stockings 1-) complain of in the dress of the fair ]'"!oreutiiies, and we entertain a suspicion that the most earnest philosophers and poets of the Stone Age were disgusted with feminine fashions. NOVEL COURT EXPERIMENT. A Domestic Relations Court, that will endeavor to bring together estranged married couples, will probably be established in New York shortly. A Bill making provision for the court was recently introduced in the New York State Legislature, and the committee of the Senate to which it was referred, lias reported it back with the recommendation that it be passed into law. The idea of the court was initiated by the Legal Aid Jhiroau of the New York Educational Alliance, which provides court assistance for poor litigants. The bureau has recently become convinced that much of the domestic litigation with which' it has -been concerned could be avoided if the court bebore which marital troubles were heard could be empowered to act as a peacemaker, instead ct simply extending legal right to the litigants/ The Domestic Relations Court is the outcome. It will cover the whole subject of domestic troubles, except divorce, and practically all its work will be concerned with the poor. 'Most of the cases on which it will be called to pass judgment arel desertion and abandonment, by far the! larger part of which are suits brought j by women. Under the present law the woman has to apply to an ordinary court, mingling with criminals. She obtains a summons, and the husband either I gives sureties to support his wife or he is sent to prison. The result in most cases is a complete break-up of the home and hatred for the wife generated in the husband. i Under the new law an applicant for a summons will go direct to the Domestic Relations Court, and the Judge will act the part of peace-maker, trying to induce husband and wife to live together harmoniously. It is believed that many domestic tragedies will thus he averted.