Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1853-04-14
Matrimonial Hoax.

On Tuesday evening last clever hoax
was played upon gentleman at the Bull
and Mouth Hotel in Brigate Leeds. Some
six weeks ago several matrimonial ADVERTISE
ments appeared in the London newspapers
from gentlemen wanting wives. Some mem
bers Of the Leeds Stock Exchange took 1t
into their heads to hoax some of these adven-
turers, and they accordingly entered into
correspondence with the parties advertising,
adopting for the purpose the name OF Miss
Bailey. After some correspondence, two
of The parties sent down Photographic like
nesses of themselves, and the third lntlma-
ted that /" he thought the substance better
than the shadow and suggested per-
sona interview Miss Bailey" thought
so too, and wrote accordingly, lamentlng
the awkward position she was in, but add
ing, that she had mentioned the matter to
her brother, who had reluctantly consented
to the interview, and had promised TO be
present at the interview as her protector.
She also intimated that cousin OF hers
kept the inn above mentioned, and that she
and her brother would call at the hotel and
remain there until the arrival of the stran-
ger, who was to ask for her by name. BY
the next post the languishing swain wrote
to say that he would be in Leeds by the
train arriving there at 6. 80 P. NJ. Oh Tues
dav, and would at once drive to the hotel
named in cab All this arranged, one of
the parties here, a stock-broker, undertook
to play the guardian, and clerk from the
office was selected 20 personate the lady
Miss Bailey; no expense being spared to
adorn the latter with suitable and lady-like
apparel. At the appointed hour Miss B.
and her brother were at the hotel waiting in
private room, when, at 7 o'clock, cab
drove up, Miss Bailey and her brother
took their places Oh sofa, and on the
stranger inquiring for Miss B. he was shown
into the room. He was gentleman of
about 45, rud,y complexion and thin hair.
He introduced himself as Mr. H., Of
Atherstone in a certain Midland county,
The young adys brother introduced her as
his sister. Mr.. H was smt.en at
first sight; for the young lady's pal and
pcnsive features, the down.cast eyes, COM
mandng figure, rich, flowing ingets would
have been too much even for stouter heart
than he could boast of, especially when it
was made known that the proprietor of this
graceful form had fl 500 in her own right
The trio at once proceeded to business, the
brother putting number of questions to
Mr.. H., all of which were cheerfully and
unsuspciously answered.
Having satisfied the brother THAI he was
pretty well to do in the world, he added
that he was a widower with three children,
but, in order that they might not annoy the
mother .in-Iaw, they were to be sent to a
boarding school; and as for the young la
dy's fortune, which he was happy to find
she possessed, it should be settled upon her
and her children. With these explanations
Miss b. aud her brother were satisfed-iu
fact it was a settled thing. The brother
retired for few minutes, when Mr.. H. at
once drew his chair close to his lady-loye,
and became very sentimental, giving full
vent to the feelings Of his heart. Miss B.,
with becoming modesty, rebuked him for
his foolIshness," aud his too familiar ad.
vances. la short time the brother re-
turned and said he had met few members
Of his family, whom he proposed to INTRO
duce at once. Mr. II was in rap.
lures, and desired him to introduce them
forthwith; but he was somewhat astonished
to find that in few minutes no. less than
100 jovial souls, who had been waiting be-
low, rushed into the room to laugh at him
and the hoax which had been played. In
an instant Miss Bailey disappeared, while
uncles, cousins and other relatives shook
him by the hand one after another. As
soon as he found he was hoaxed, Mr.. H.
made a rush for the staircase, but mis,ook
his way, and got into the bar of the house,
instead of to the outer door. He was in.
stantly penned in on all sides so that he
could not escape, but was compelled to lis
len to the reading OF the whole correspond.
ence; and at last, in reply to the health Of
"Mlss Bailey" a gentleman y-looking young
man who had been sitting beside Mr. H
smoking cigar, rose and acknowledg ed
the compliment, and described the scene in
the room when her brother left. Eventual.
y the Atherstone lover decamped, and has
not since been heard of.-Engiish Pa.