GREAT BIGMY ROMANCE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2084, 20 May 1907, Page 3

GREAT BIGMY ROMANCE.

EXTRAORDINARY SCENES IN A VILLAGE.

Seldom has more remarkable drama been unfolded in the Law Courts than that brought to light by the \Vag-staff-Jalland will suit, which came to a conclusion in London on March 25. The novelist of the sordid and sensational could hardly desire better material than this story of a wealthy man who marries a woman already married, who has one cousin a tailor in the local village and another of the same name a prosperous architect in London, and at whoso death a maze of complications ensue. A life interest is left t'o his widow so long as she remains a widow; hut meanwhile the woman has made a sensational confession of bigamy, and, never having ’been Ins wife, ]ioW can she bo his* widow? Failing her the estate is to the cousin’s eldest son; but to the son of which cousin, since both bear tho same name? Taking such a plot . the novelist could not :niore. intelligently or satisfactorily have worked , it out than tho actual case had been S'/—-■ l,'.'. -‘7

adjudicated by Mr. Justico Kekowicli. The issue botweon tho cousins was early disposed of. Tho argument 1 sottlod , round the question whether a secondary' moaning could bo applied to tho term widow, and there is no doubt that Air. James Poolo AVngstaff intended such a secondary moaning, just ns he gavo a secondary meaning to tho word wifo by introducing Airs. Jnlland ns his wife to the world at largo, Had ho foreseen that Airs. Jalland .would have found it necessary' to publicly confess to bigamy, he would doubtless have mado clear his intontion that, in any ovont 1 , it was she to whom tho lifo interest should go. -As it was, ho was careful to avoid exposure, and, as it is, his wishes have been carried out. Perhaps tho most remarkable fea-. turo of tho story was tho welcome home given to Airs. Jalland.

Quiet little Potton, in Bedfordshire, had tho groat day of its lifo. To tho rest of tho world Airs. Jalland’s great victory was merely a heading in a newspaper to bo glanced at for a moment, and forgotton. But down at Potton, where Airs. Jalland lives, she is tho Lady Bountiful of the village, her praise is in every ■ mouth, and lior homocoming within a few hour’s of tho judge’s decision in her favour, was a triumph such ns few pooplo onjoy. Tho nows of her victory soon spread, and when It became known that she was coming home straight from the court the whole village turned out. At tho parish boundary, down bv Long-Ladder stile, tlioy gathered to greet her as she drove from B'eg’eswade station. The men of tho local rire brigade were there, in tho new uniform and gleaming helmets she had presented to them not long before. The town band owed ihnr smart uniforms to tho generous hand. Presently along the road tho we tellers see a cloud of dust. “She is coming!” they cry. Ih a few moments a pair-horse brougham dashes up, surrounded by cyclists who had ridden over to Biggleswade station to meet the train and form a mounted escort. -

In a twinkling the horses have been taken out of the brougham, the firemen have taken their places, and amid cheers the procession moves onward, while the band strikes up, “See the conquering hero comes I” So, headed by-the band, they pass along the country lane, through the quaint old market place, where flags are flying from many a window, up to Alanor Park, where Air. AVagstaff had lived, and which is to remain ii Airs. Jalland’s hands.