A Westmount romance

The young woman, one Hilda Christiana Sjo’berg, was accused of having stolen a few items from her mistress earlier in the month.

Sjo’berg, who had left her own country due to the political unrest brought on by Norway’s struggle for independence from Sweden, later admitted to the theft but offered no rational explanation as to why she had done it.

As the clock struck 10 that Valentine Day morning, Police Magistrate Edmond McMahon walked into the chamber and took his seat on the bench. At that point, the visibly distraught young woman, a native of the Scandinavian town of Sunsvall, was brought in by a rather burly officer of the law.

“Tears were flowing from the dark-blue eyes of the young Swedish girl,” reported The Star in its now-familiar mawkish style.

As the learned judge was about to impose his sentence on the frightened servant, an equally attractive gentleman stepped forward and offered to intervene on the young woman’s behalf. His name was William Brown, 22 years of age, and a native of Bolton, England. The young man was happily employed by one of the larger companies in Montreal and was quite settled in this city.

He declared solemnly that he was willing to pay any fine on Sjo’berg’s behalf if only Magistrate McMahon would give the youthful Swede her liberty.

The judge, with a most serious look on his face, asked Brown quite

matter-of-factly: “Why? Are you in love with the young woman?”

“I am smitten to the very heart with her at first sight, and I do not want to see her go to prison,” he answered rapidly.

“Do you really love the girl?” the magistrate persevered.

“I love her with all my heart,” came the reply.

“Would you marry the young lady?”

“I would marry her on the spot, if you would liberate her.”

To everyone’s surprise, Judge McMahon (who was also Montreal’s coroner) made the arrangements then and there. He requested the indulgence of Reverend Ernest Bushell, rector of Westmount’s St. Matthias' Church to perform the marriage ceremony. Accordingly, the couple (who knows what the young woman thought!) was married that very evening - Valentine’s Day - at 7 p.m. in the Town Hall by the Anglican priest.

Needless to say, the story was the talk of the community in the days which followed.

• Robert N. Wilkins is a researcher and writer with the Quebec Family History Society, an anglophone genealogical association based in Pointe Claire. His blog and e-mail address are found at www.geocities.com