The Sun.
London, England, 1862-09-10 00:00:00

IVIALRIMONIAI; 110 AX.

The usually quiet watering-place, Gourock, was
the scene of considerable excitement Oh Saturday
evening last,in consequence of the (not nowuneom-
mon circumstance) playing off of a matrimoinal
hoax. About five weeks ago, a party who is, or
very lately was, in business in Glasgow, advertised
in one of the newspapers for a wife, who amongst
other essentials, was to be in receipt of £3OO per
annum, or thereby. Amongst the (no doubt) nume-
rous applications for the honour of becoming the
wife of the aforesaid merchant, was one which, un-
fortunately however for his prospects, was written
by a committee self-appointed for the purpose of
his edification and the gratification of their risible
faculties.

The lady was represented as belonging to a good
family ; she had travelled in France and Italy, spoke
several languages, and though last, far from least,
enjoyed the by no means despicable income of £2BO
per annum, being interest at 4 per cent, on £7,000
left her by her late lamented father.
Our modern Adonis replied in due course, and an
interesting correspondence followed, about the com-
mencement of which our merchant k became very
clamorous for an interview, which rendered it neces-
sary for the committee to remove the lady to Lon-
don, where she went to witness the last moments
of a dear friend, and was detained for a consider-
able time. Meantime cartes de visile were
assuming a most
ex-
changed, and, the correspondence
affectionate tone, " all went merry as a marriage
bell."
As, towards the close of
it the correspondence, the
4i oil merchant" got impatient at the lady's pro-
longed absence, was deemed prudent to bring her
home at once, and consequently an appointment
was made for Saturday afternoon, and arrange-
ments enureinto accordingly.
The gentleman arrived at Gourock per the Ruby,
at 5.45 p.m. ; and the parties on the watch having
singled him our, followed him to the Queen's Hotel,
.where he fortified himself against the trying ordeal
with a pint of porter. Mea,nwhi'e, other :parties
were busily employed posting bills (east of the
quay), to the following effect :--
" MATRIMONIAL HOAX.
"A swell from Glasgow, who advertised for a
wife with about £3OO per annum, will meet the
lady who answered his advertisement, between the
Quarry-quay and the toll where the Greenock 'bus
turns, at 6.20 p.m. precisely. All who wish to
enjoy an hour's sport are invited to be present at
the introduction, which will be of a most affecting
nature.

" The Eiwell's rig will consist of a low-crown(d
hat, blue coat with velvet collar, and very light
coloured checked unmentionables. lie rejoices in
a black moustache (a la miataire), and diffuses a
fragrance like unto the musk rat.

Be in time."

Having refreshed his inner man he now proceeded

towards the spot appointed for the intervie' w with
his lady love, still closely followed by his special
attendants, who likewise distributed copies cf the
bill, which had the effect of increasing; his follow 'ers.
Having reached the spot, he steppedaside amongst
the brushwood, and " sauntered" about in .as
unconcerned a manner as possible. His followers
now took up their preconcerted positions, come
pletely surrounding him, so as to prevent;
escape, and then the affecting interview took.
place. One of the members of committee advanced,
leading another the stoutest man iii the company,
wearing a full beard and moustache) by the hand,
and introduced him as the lady who had corre-
sponded with him. He was then saluted. with three
good cheers, amidst a continuation of which he
" made tracks" for the Greenock 'bus, where he
managed, in a temporary way, to hide his ,dimi-
nished head. His faithful followers, however, did
not yet desert bim, but as many as could get accom-
modation accompanied him to Greenock, where
fresh laurels awaited him in the shape of a crow&
of Greenock people, who joined in the cheering-
from the time he left the 'bus in Hamilton-street
till he took refuge in the White Hart Hotel.
Thence he endeavoured to escape, having slightly
altered his " rig;" but a warning howl from his
indefatigable attendants sent him back to his house
of refuge, looking the very picture of unmitigated.
misery. The convener of the committee thereafter
wrote him that he would be forgiven the trouble
and annoyance he had caused them in connection
with the affair should he appear and apologise, but
their generous offer was refused.— Glasgow Herald.

ASSAULT ON AIV ENGLISH LADY IN
SWITZERLAND.

The following extract from the letter of an Eng -
lish lady travelling in the Bernese Oberland with
her husband and a female friend, describes a brutal
assault committed on her by a Swiss hotel-keeper :
" We left our boxes at La.uterbrunnen, and after
visiting the Stanbbach, at once took horses, and
ascended the Wengern Alp, where we slept, after
spending a lovely day. The avalanches were
beautiful. Next day, discarding our two horses,
we walked leisurely down to Grindelwald. I was
unluckily half killed by a stunning blow dealt
me by the master of the Wengern Alp Hotel, a
most brutal man, who had made out a most enor-
mous bill, off which, contrary to my custom, I took
two francs. E-- and I paid it to his wife, who
appeared to accept it; but when we were a quarter
of an hour from the hotel, in a hollow, hid from all
corners, we saw his man and himself coming, each
with a thick stick, calling out for the two francs.
E--, seeing them thus armed, said, We must
pay, or we shall be assassinated.' But I said,
Vous etes dans votre tort de ne pas nous avoir fait
payer a l'hotel ou se trouvait d'autres etrangers,
car votre reclamation est parfaitement injuste ; voila
cependant 1.85 centimes.' The other 15 centimes
none of us had got. The man was already in
a great passion, and seized E---- by the hair,
shaking her and demanding the 15c. I offered him
a sf. piece to change, upon which he pulled out his
knife, saying, ' Voila ma monnaie.' I then came
to E--'s help, and the master spat in my
face, on which, enraged, I responded with a
famous box on the ears. Then it was that with all
his might he hurled his stick (a rough bar for fenc-
ing) at my head. I was stunned. E— L— mean-
while had run away, calling out for help, but had
fallen down on the grass nearly senseless with
terror. As soon as I was able I rejoined her, and
encouraged her, and laughed at the affair. I washed
my swollen face, which was all bloody, in a stream
of water, and we got on to Grindelwald, where we
went at once to the doctor's, that he might see my
face and write about it to the justice at Interlacken.
The others dined. I could not—my jaw refused to
move. . . . On Tuesday we returned to Inter-
lacken for our judicial affair; but nothing is yet
settled. The master of the hotel, to excuse himself,
swore we had left his hotel without paying at all,
but we knew to the contrary, as when he assaulted
us he only demanded the extra two francs."

GO UNTBI MARKE2S.

-----

LEEDS-TUESDAY.

At to-day's market we have a more liberal supply of new
wheat, the bulk of which is poor, and condition bad. The
best samples are taken at last Friday's rates. There was
no inquiry for old.

LIVERPOOL-TUESDAY.

In wheat a fair business was done to-day, at last week's
prices. Indian corn quiet, and sells at former quotations.
Flour was dull, at 6d per barrel cheaper.

LYNN-TUESDAY.

With a return of fine weather harvest work was resumed
on Friday. The quality of wheat is good, but the yield it
is expected will be somewhat short.
White .. 60s to 63s I Barley ... 32s to 38s
New 57s to 60s I New....
RQd s7s to 59s I Oats .24s to 26s
Beans .4os to 44s I New ............ 22s to 26s

MARKET HARBOROUGH—TUESDAY.
White wheat, 55s to 61s; red, 52s to 57s per 36 stone.
Barley at 32s to 36s per qr., grinding 298 to 33s per 30 at.
Oats, 28s to 325; new, 21s to 278 per 24 at. ; beans, 38s to
43s per qr.

SHEFFIELD-TUESDAY.

The weather has been changeable this week, and farmers
have not progressed much with harvest work.
Red wheat, per load of 3 imperial bushels...22s Od to 23s Od
White // , ...23s 6d to 25s Od
New red , , ...21s Od to 22s Od
New white „ )1, ...23s Od to 24s 6d
Beans 7/ /, ...16s Od to 19s Od

Peas, per qr
7 7 • • • -
54s 0 d o 58s Od
Grinding barley, per qr 3ls Oil to 36s Od
Malting ditto, „ .. 3Bs Od to 42s OEI
Oats 17 238 Od to 30s Od
Millers' prices for flour-2s .Id, 2s 3d, and 2s 6d per
141 b.

INDIA AND THE COLONIES.
'PASSENGERS Embarking or Disembarking
will find superior accommodation and moderate
charges at
CHAPLIN'S CLARENDON HOTEL, GRAVESEND,
Adjoining the Terrace Pier.
• • A Lawn in front, extending to the River.