502 Curiosities of Legal Experience. 



was no bar to a suit for divorce and nullity of marriage, that if 

 sentence of divorce were obtained in the ecclesiastical court during 

 the life-time of the parties, the issue of the marriage would be illegi- 

 timate ; but in case of the death of either party before sentence, the 

 marriage could not then be annulled nor the issue bastardized." 

 [Lord Lyndhurst, by a late act, has somewhat altered the law on 

 this subject.] 



I then detailed the result of my negotiation with her husband, the 

 vindictive feelings he displayed, and the impossibility of effecting an 

 arrangement, concluding with the advice before mentioned as to her 

 keeping out of the way on the chance of relief from Mr. S.'s death or 

 some other contingency. She listened with great emotion ; one 

 instant her face and neck were a bright scarlet, and the next white 

 and bloodless as a shrouded corpse. After a while she asked in a law 

 voice, whether, if a divorce were obtained, the property settled on her 

 children would be affected. I answered that it certainly would; her 

 own life-interest would remain, but there being in such case no law- 

 ful issue, the property after her death would go to those in remainder. 

 " Thank you," she replied, " thank you ;" and the red flush rose once 

 more to her temples. " Pray leave me the papers until to-morrow ; 

 my head is too dizzy to think now." 



I rose to go. "I am a great trouble to you," she said, with a faint 

 &mile, and holding out her hand, " your kindness has indeed been ex- 

 treme, and I feel that my children will ever find in you a friend and 

 protector. Be kind to them," she added, in a half-choked voice, 

 clasping my hand in both hers, " be kind to them, if they should ever 

 be left helpless and alone in the world." To wring her hand was all 

 I could reply. As I went down stairs, I heard her lock and double- 

 lock the door of her room, nor was it opened again during the 

 evening. 



Feb. 4. Early this morning wrote to a Scotch cousin of Mrs D.'s, 

 in shire, to know if she would receive Mrs. Sherborne as an in- 

 mate. The place is very retired, and by assuming another name there 

 is little chance of her retreat being discovered. 



Breakfast. After kissing all the youngsters, cutting up my toast 

 into parallelograms, and making a prodigious rustle with the just 

 dried newspaper, I was getting deep into the leading article when 

 Ella came into the room. " Ah ! Ella, my child, how is mamma this 

 morning *? " " Mamma," said the little girl, doing her best not to 

 cry, " Mamma won't kiss me, nor she won't say any thing, though we 

 called her very loud, and brother is making such a noise for his 

 breakfast." " The Times" dropped from my hand ; a horrible sus- 

 picion flashed on me, and I sat for a minute or two staring at the 

 child in utter bewilderment. '\What is the matter?" exclaimed Mrs. 

 D., in a nervous fright at my strange appearance ; but without reply- 

 ing I started from my seat and rushed up stairs. I drew the curtain 

 the first glance was enough the poor persecuted mother ! they had 

 hunted her to the grave. 



A phial of laudanum stood on the table. Mr. M.'s opinion, all 

 blistered with tears, and two letters addressed to me, lay there un- 

 sealed ; one containing her last wishes, the other a heart-rending 

 appeal. 



