The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1876-06-13 00:00:00

A SOUTCII MATRIMONIAL STOUT.

On Saturday, great amusement was created in I upar
Fife when it ',mune known that a marriage, which watt
arranged to take place at ten o'clock by special license, had
been suddenly broken off or postpotoal. It would rieeill
that a well-known bachelor, who was lon ingly
but shy of the fair sex personally, Itelievitil he could do the
courtship part of business better by correspoudenee than
by personal interview. Ile accordingly advertised
IWakiloll/11iY in matrimonial papers for a wife, and hill
IMMOss will be shown in tW,m sostotel. At first he trimd to
catch at high game. an 1 wlWiell a holy with COW to share
his joys and sorrows. Failing in this, according to rumour,
be replied to an advertisement of a lady who wished to
became housekeeper to a single gentleman. He stated
that`he wanted a house-keeper, but would prefer a wife.
In the course of the correspondence which ensued Caries
were exchanged, following by gushing love epistles, both
parties being evidently highly delighted with the personnel
of the other. So much was this the CAW that it was
mutually agreed the lady should come down to Scotland
in order to marry the bachelor. She requested hint to
send Li to pay her expenses. The too-below sent t 2 lOs.,
and arranged to meet his iotended in Edinburgh. on
uttlay last he went across to the totoslern Anthens for
that purposse, and notorneol to I %mar with the better-half
that was to be on Wednesday night, and took rooms for
her in an hotel. On the following day and Friday lie
escorted her through the town, and introduced her to
friends as the prospective mu lie. The customs:4l loachelor
then waited upon a minister in order to get the marriage
ceremony performed as speedily as possible. This prompt ,
action, no doubt, was accelerated by the business aptitude
of the lady, who, while ejaculating that her intended
husband "was a jewel" to we of his friends, rentarkual
that he " would require to look active about the marriage
now since she was here." On learning that a minister
could not perform the important oluty until the lady hail
been six weeks in the parish, it was resolved to get it done
by special license at ten o'clock on Saturday morning,
The hotel-keeper, being a Sheriff oflicer, KIL9 instructed to
have everything ready on the day mixed. At the appointed
time the bride, the Sheriff officer, and the witnesses
assembled in • room in the hotel, and patiently awaited
the arrival of the bridegroom. A quarter, half-past ten
came, but no bridegroom. The bride as well as the com-
pany were becoming uneasy at the unusual delay. After
waiting • little longer the lady could not endure the
the suspense any more, and at once proceeded to the
lodgings of what she was now beginning to fear her tickle
lover. Arrived there, she indignantly requested an
explanation of his conduct. Pier intended spouse replied
that he had "slept in," bitt 10 110 t seem inclined to go
to the hotel at all until he saw his lady-hove would not
leave the house without him. When they reached the
hotel the hacheloor had apparently made tip his ming' that
single happinnesx WMtt preferable to what was new aprear-
ing to him dubious double blessedness. The gay deceiver
is said to have coonoe gradually to this nonclusion after
comparing the earl: with the erginal in the utmost favourable
light. A scene then e I, boot the bachelor remained
obdurate to the entreaties, the expostulations, and the
threats of his would-lie wife. They paraded the streets"(
the town during the greater part of the day, instead of
enjoying the honeymoon. In the evening the oils:unpainted
' fair one retorneol to the railway station, and left with the
7.10 p.m, train, via Perth. for Loudon. It is anderstood
the matter had been settled by a 111./lICY arrangement.