ip.
The plaintiff, Miss Rebecca Cox, earns her living as a dressmaker's
assistant; the defendant is our watch-maker, and opened a shop of his
own but a few months before approaching Miss Cox with proposals of
marriage. This was fifteen years ago. I may mention that some kind of
counter-claim was put in "for goods delivered"; the goods in question
being a musical-box and sundry small articles for parlour amusement,
such as a solitaire-tray, two packs of "Patience" cards, a race-game,
and the like. But the defendant did not allege that these had been sent
or accepted as whole or partial quittance of his contract to marry, and
I can only suppose that he pleaded them in mitigation of damages.
Miss Cox asked for one hundred and fifty pounds.

Her evidence was given in quiet but resolute tones, and for some time
disclosed nothing sensational. The circumstances in which Mr. Pretyman
had sued for and obtained the promise of her hand differed in no
important particular from those which ordinarily attend the
_fiancailles_ of respectable young persons in Troy; and for twelve years
his courtship ran an even course. "After this," asserted Miss Cox,
"his attentions cooled. He was friendly and kind enough when we met,
and still talked of enlarging his shop-front and marrying in the near
future. But his visits were not frequent enough to be called courting."
Of late, though living in the same street, she had only seen him on
Sundays; and even so he would be occupied almost all the day and evening
with services, Sunday school, prayer-meetings, and occasional addresses.
At length she taxed him with indifference, and, finding his excuses
unsatisfactory, was persuaded by her friends to bring the present
action. She liked the man well enough; but for the last two or three
years "his heart hadn't been in it. He didn't do any proper courting."

Defendant's counsel (a young man) attempted in cross-examination to lead
Miss Cox to reveal herself as an exacting young woman.

"Do you assert that at length you came to see nothing of defendant
during the week?"

"Only through the shop window as I went by to my work. And of late,
when he saw me coming, he would screw a magnifying glass in his eye and
pretend to be busy with his watch-making. I believe he did it to avoid
looking at me, and also because he knew I couldn't bear him with his
face screwed up. It makes such a difference to his appearance."

"Gently, gently, Miss Cox! You