THE WORLD'S CHAMPION LOVER.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8867, 30 October 1907, Page 3

THE WORLD'S CHAMPION LOVER.

DETERMINED AND NOVEL WOOING. 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 good old family in the West countrj. Little, red-headed, but a prosperous man in the capital of the great State of lowa, he fell violently in j;love with Katherine Homan, petite, and only daughter of the -richest woman in the place. This was eighteen months 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 balle of lowa, like a dutiful child, said "Ask mamma." Mrs Homan, like at true Capulet, sought the protection of the law, and Teyton was injuncted from talking to or in any way approaching the young lady. Peyton vowed he would yet make the girl his wife. They had not barred him the post. He wrote letters morning, noon, and night. The family solicitor went into court and secured an injunction restraining him from sending letters. Peyton promptly got bunches of telegraph forms, and began to send loving telegrams and proposals of marriage to Miss Homan over the wires at a shilling the message. 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 telegram. Now in every house and shop of -any size in America is installed the telephone. Peyton commenced to call up the girl he had sworn should be 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 of flowers, and there was no -r • injunction. This time he found an ally in a local confectioner. Every day there arrived at the Homan house sundry lovely cakes covered with white icing. On the top of the icing, in pink, or red, or green frosting, were inscribed messages such as: "Darling Kitty, I love you. Will .you be my 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 r issued against Peyton. For a week or two Peyton was quiet. Then he commenced to send Miss Homan 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 comrrission to examine Peyton as to his sanity. The commission, with much solemnity, brought in a report that "Mr Peyton was quite sane on every subject except that he seemed to be insanely in love." Mrs flomaji was now decidedly 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 secrotly engaged. When Katherine Homan was called she re- . fused to answer any questions until Peyton left the courtroom. Then she declared that she did not love him, r but loved another man, and that - they were not engaged secretly or in anyway. Peyton was brought in for sentence of some sort, but insisted on the judge reading a few of the love-let-ters he produced. These were of 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 injunction restraining Peyton from in any way accosting, interfering, addressing, etc.,* Katherine Homan against her wish. Mrs Homan immediately sent Katherine out of the city to distant relatives in Manitou, Colorado. Peyton tried in every way to discover where the girl had gone. It took him at least a fortnight, bribing right and left, to get the address. After that he was in Manitou as soon as he could get there. . The next day Mrs Homan and a host of Peyton's friends in Des Moines were startled by receiving telegrams announcing his marriage to Katherine at Manitou. He had won the great obstacle race after all. It appears that he was not in Manitou more than an hour before he found Miss Homan, and immediately drove her to the nearest clergyman anl got married.