The Omaha Sunday Bee Magazine Page
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For WTiaf Poefs
anc Philosophers
Agree Is Her Most
Precious Possession, a
Court Has Now Fixed
the Record Cash
Value of $116,000
Miss Elizabeth Leona Garmong:, Winner of the
Record Court Award for Breach of
Promise $1 16,000
PLACING a cash value upon the
hearts of women Is one of the re
finements of modern civilization.
Prior to the First Crusade and the
advent of the Troubadours who were
true lovers as well as poets and singers
the idea of a woman's heart having the
quality of a material asset would have
been laughed to scorn. Women were
simply the chattels of their male possess
ors, and it their hearts did not enter into
the bargain, so much the worse for them.
Nowadays every fair-minded person Is
free to admit that the Heart of the average
woman is her most precious possession.
Marriage is the vocation of her first choice,
arid -except In comparatively rare in
sUnces she will marry only where she
places her love. It Is an affair of the
heart, and when the has given her heart
she has given her all. She has Invested
her only asset, and if the investment turns
out badly she has nothing left for a sec
ond venture.
All the modern poets end philosophers
are in accord on this point Gradually
the courts came to their way of thinking,
and so it has come to be that if a woman
can prove that her heart has been won
from her under false pretenses, she can
bring the guilty party before a judge and
Jury and recover damages in cash.
That legal principle has long been es
tablished. A woman's heart has legiti
mate value in money or Its property
equivalent. There remains only one Im
portant difference of opinion how much
is a woman's heart worth, in money?
Recently a Jury In the State of Maine
broke the records of all courts In breach
of promise cases with an award of $116,
000 to Miss Elizabeth Leona Garmong on
testimony that she had surrendered her
heart unavalllngly to John Brooks Hen
derson, Jr., son of the multi-millionaire
United States Senator from Missouri. The
nearest approach to thta award by court
verdict was made by an English Jury in
1S84, when the heart of Miss Fortescue,
an actress, was adjudged to be worth
$50,000, which amount the Viscount Gar
moyle was ordered to pay over to her.
A few years ago a Massachusetts Jury
appraised the value of Miss Marlon
Orrs heart at $43,000. In Kansas Miss
Martha Smith's heart forever lost to her
cost its destroyer $25,000 by order of
the court.
Mr. Justice Erlanger, in the City Court
of New York tried two broken heart cases
in 1911 which appeared at the time to es
tablish a "flat rate" for women's hearts.
To both Miss Henrietta French and Miss
Fanny Llebenau, whose hearts had been
mistakenly surrendered, he awarded $10.
000 cash. This was the current price for
the heart itself, strip
ped of every other
consideration, as re
marked by the Court
in the following preg
nant sentence:
"Not a dollar of
damage has been
shown except that nat
urally arising from
the alleged breach.
Not a dollar on ward
robe, wedding prepara-'
tions or anything
else."
Although court ver
dicts are naturally
accepted es the standard in appraisements
of women's hearts, private Individuals
have taken that responsibility upon them
selves. In the estimation of women who
have hearts to be broken, or lost, or mis
laid, or surrendered voluntarily to the
wrong party, the name of the Marquis of
Northampton deserves a prominent niche
in the Temple of Justice.
When the beautiful young English ac
tress, Daisy Markham, sued him for breach
of promise of marriage, that nobleman
promptly adjusted the matter out of court.
It was a famous love affair. Northamp
ton well knew that he possesed the young
woman's heart He wished to marry her,
but family considerations influenced him
against that course. So, In lieu of the
woman's heart which he had accepted,
he settled upon her the handsome sum
of $250,000.
It would seem that women themselves
ought to be good Judges of what their
hearts are worth. In nearly every in
stance, however, the courts appear to have
considered them in the light of prejudiced
appraisers. For example, Miss Garmong,
who receives the record award of $116,
000, declared in her petition that her heart
was worth $250,000.
Is the heart of a baroness worth more
than the heart of an ordinary, untitled
woman? In the estimation of the Baron
ess Ursula Barbara von Kalinowsky, of
Vienna, such appears to be the case. De
claring that she bad surrendered her heart
to Millionaire Michael J. Hurley, of St.
Louis, in vain expectation of marriage,
she petitioned a New York court to make
him pay her $2,500,000 for the same. That
claim being eomewhat remarkable, the
Baroness described the lost article in a
deposition of 76,000 words. It is doubt
ful if a broken heart had ever before been
so thoroughly embalmed in literature.
- Unfortunately for the present Inquiry
Into the value of a woman's heart, no
verdict exists in the baroness's case. She
neglected to be present when the case
was called for trial, and the Judge dis
missed it. Still, - however, there stands
for what It Is worth her own appraise
ment of the value of a baroness's heart.
It will be observed from the foregoing
that estimates of the value of a woman's
heart cover a bewilderlngly wide range
from $10,000 up to $2,600,000, with a
private award of $250,000 and one Jury's
appraisement at $116,000 ratified by a
court order to pay that amount Other
court awards range from $2,000 down to
six cents. It is plain that the subject hat
not yet received the dignity of a fixed
principle. The victims of lost, strsyed
or stolen hearts exert personal appeals
varying in intensity and juries are but
human.
As has been indicated, some judges
seem unable to think of a woman's heart
as a material asset at all. Does its al
leged fraudulent owner- owe her borrowed
money? Has he failed to send those
presents back? Has she paid out real
money for a trousseau which Is now of
no use to her? Had she pal- for the
feast at the wedding that was not to be?
Why, yes In that case certainly the lady
should be reimbursed by the gay de
ceiver. But as to her heart, doesn't she
still carry it under her yet fair bosom?
Aren't there other potential bridegrooms
ss good as the one whom she had thought
she had captured, but was mistaken? It
you fall to strike a bargain for your horse
with the first comer, does that necessarily
mean that other purchasers do not exist?
On the whole, Judges and Juries appear
to recognize tfiat a woman's heart, viewed
as a material asset Is in a class by Itself.
It has psychological attributes which ren
der it peculiarly delicate and liable to be
permanently damaged, or killed outright
by rough handling. Theoretically and
very often in practice it can be surren
dered but once. Once surrendered, it can
Baronet
Ursula
Barbara von
Kalinowsky,
Who Valued
Her Heart at
$2,500,000,
and Sued for
That Amount
in the United
States District
Court. Case
Dismissed.
.Heart 9 fm tfff
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not be taken back It is a total loss to
lis original owner.
From early girlhood on to womanhood
her whole life has been absorbed In prep
arations for the fortunate surrender of
her heart. It is something that she would
not think of selling could not sell for
any amount of money. Women's hearts
are never sold. When she sells herself
her heart never is part of the bargain.
When she surrenders it the terms of that
surrender never vary; she gives heart for
heart, or believes that she does so. If she
is deceived 1ier vocation Is gone, her ca
reer for which she has prepared herself
with such devotion is ended.
That is the situation with the great
multitude of women. All their thoughts
have been fixed upon their proper destiny
of love and marriage since the day when
they nursed their first rag doll. These
are the women's hearts in question.
What are they wo th. lu dollars and
cents?
The crude Judgment that they are worth
what they will bring has a certain bear
ing on the case. When a woman sur
renders her heart to a poor man who
has failed to give his own heart In return
it matters little what her heart Is worth,
for compensation is beyond her reach.
Poor men who are recreant in this wsy,
therefore, are rarely brought to book. The
hearts which they have stolen or broken
are a total loss to their original owners.
The cynical observer will remark that
the richer the heart-stealer invariably the
greater the value placed upon the stolen
heart when the case Is brought Into
court But why not? Had not that heart
surrendered Itself with greater expecta
tions than ordinary hearts have?
in the case of the baroness who de-
Miss Daisy Markham,
the English actress,
whose hsirt was
broken by the Marquis of
Northampton. , He decided
that it was worth $250,000,
and settled for that amount
out of court.
msnded $2,600,000, the rule was applied In
both directions; the heart-stealer was a
multi-millionaire, and the heart was the
heart of a baroness.
But the msln question is not to be
clouded by instances where alleged lots
of a heart is a pretext for dipping Into a
rich msn's pocket. Ia the record-making
case of Miss Garmong a Jury et stern
New Englanders saw In the witness chair
the aversge woman type a country-bred
girl who had fallen la love with and iur
rendered her heart to the rich man who
had courted her society. They knew as
most mature men know, or should know
that every girl who loves blindly trusts
the man who has won her heart A child
wss In evidence as proof of the love and
trust of this complainant
A rich man had done this. This Jury
of New Englanders, descendants of the
original Puritans, evidently saw no reason
why the recreant captor of Miss Oar
mong's heart should not compensate her
In keeping with his ability to do so. The
absence of a written promise of marriage
Influenced neither Jury nor Judge, The
Judge ruled:
"A contract of marriage differs from
other contracts. It need not be In writ
ing. It may be proved by the conduct of
the parties. It msy be the result of a
' few words spoken on few occsslons. It
might be evidenced clearly by acts and
looks of the parties."
The only question Involved was Miss
Uarniong's wssted heart, and the amount
of money that should be awarded to her
ss compensation for that irreparable loss.
Was the verdict excessive? Was it in
sdequate?
Who shall say, definitely, what a wom
an's heart la worth?
Good and Bad Promised by the Stars for the Month of March
TiHB lunation on the first is
ruled by the Orb of Night with
"Neptune vitiating the eastern
angl, thus creating sot only unrest
among the masses, but leading Into
malodorous methods on the part of
professional agitators, particularly
around the 4th. A difficult tension
in ths labor problem may be expect
ed In the early days of the month,
ind legislative councils will not be
'ree from questionable influences as
regards both foreign and domestic
juettlon.
The Sun conjunction Jupiter Is
about the only redeeming feature of
the Arnt quadrant of the month. By
this shilling Interests are highly
Xavored, science snd philosophy ad
vanced, and the ethical, social and
religious realms will reap well mer
ited rewards. Rumors of a new
American cardlnslate will attract at
tention. The automobile Industry, the carry
ing trades, and waterways, are ben
efited, the postal service improved,
and emigration increased. School,
hotels and theatres not so pleaxantly
conditioned, and educational boards
will pass their time in much bicker
ing. Haturn affects the seats of
crime and poiHon cases, suicide and
assaults on women will be numerous.
Much suffering will come through
weather exposure, and hospitals will
be taxed to the limit
Disturbed weather phenomena wilt
emphasize the proverbial belief about
March. The Moon near equator at
the full will lower the barometer and
increase precipitation up to the 4tb,
with sleet around the 8d, followed
by high winds and depressed temper
ature, running Into a typical March
gale near the 9th. The equinoctial
dlNturbances are frequently thus an
ticipated, never necessarily identical
with the holar pasxage due on the
IMst. Aqueous condensation between
the 13th and 1.1th. '
The New Moon squsre Saturn snd
again In the equator on the 15th
ushers in a rigorous quarter, tempes
tuous, and approaching a blizzard,
with g!as at low ebb on the 17th and
east winds. Thl Is also a seismic
period. Electrical dtxplays around
the 10th and 'Attn. About the Mtb
exiect a clearing atmoxphere Induced
by Mars conjunction Jupiter, winds
shifting to northwest, and electrical
disturbances. A similar condition
surround the SOth, and March in his
exit will probably emulate the lamb,
although tbe -Jth shows elemental
dlxcord.
Hc1flc Incidents on or near the
following datex:
March 1 A State paper evokes
criticism, and public attention li
called to a forgery case.
March 4 Obnoxious demonstra
tions on the part of malcontents. A
foreign Embassador severely criti
cized if not wholly dlncredlted Poi
son episodes plentiful. The stock
market Buffers through some Govern
ment action.
M-i-'h 13 Accidents on Eastern
tran'Jc dues; lire endangers a ter-
Copyright. 191 S. bv th- r Comnanv. Great Britain III
mlual station and also a post office
building. A diplomatic wrangle ad
Justed. March 10-17 Destruction through
earthquke and Htorm; tbe latter
sweeps eastward from the Mississip
pi basin, enlulling lotta of life on
land and lake. A national legislator
die.
March 19 A discovery valuable to
surgery or medicine announced. ) rob
ably one relating to anaesthetics.
March 'J I Ureat market activity,
pispeciiilly in grain. 8jclul benefits
to llnnni ial and public institutions.
March 19, 30 Wllenpread Indorse
ment of a Government action relating
to Insular interests; however, few
public plsudlts are directed to the
State .Department, whose head Is not
in favor with tbe stars at this time.
ahta Reserved.
In this month Jupiter felicitates
the affairs and surrounds with a spirit
of amity and progresa, those born
near the clone of February, April.
June, October orDeceinber, or in the
first week of January. March, May,
July or November of any year. Thexe
promises accentuated if the day of
birth whs In the Summer or Fall of
in 13, Winter or Summer or 1K47.
Winters of 18.VJ. 1K54. 18.'fl or 1857.
Fall of 1875, Summers of 1870 or
lWt, Winter or Fall of 1887, Fall of
1891 or Hummer of 1893.
Saturn's malignity In the way of
obstacle, loss or 111-henlth besets
those born sround the 17th-18th of
March, June, September or Decem
ber of any year; or If in the Sum
mers of 1848, 18.V) or 1855. Spring of
lM'A Winter or Bummer of 1862,
Summer of 18H4. in 1870. Fall of
1S7.J. Sprlnga of 1878 or 1880. rail
of 1883, Spring or Fall of 1885, or
Spring or Summer of 1892.
Erratic rhnngea, bad Investments
and misdirected effort for those born
around February 3-6 or August 8 9
of any year.
The :'d to 5th of March are evil
anniversaries and will be assailed by
deception and Intrigue in coming
year of life. Tbe second week in
cludes more auspicious natal days
with the exception of the Oth. The
Ktu to 18th inclusive show Illness,
buNnless reverses and probable loss
of a parent. Kadlcal changes shead
if born on the 19tb. The 23d 24th
sre of excellent promise, while the
three Isst days of tbe month contain
presages of both good and evil.
