The true northerner., 1874-11-06

the Wakefelds, generous and wealthy,
had agreed, on the persuasion OF Glib.
bon Wakefield, to advance the modest
little sum of 100000, and as grand
climax to this long story, that Mr..
Grimsditch, the family solicitor, had
written letter, which the clever suitor
read, or pretended to read, sugg gesting a
marriage between himself and Miss
Turner as the only device which could
save the family from ruin. The fertile
genius of Richardson or Fielding never
suggested more notable expedient.
Never was Clarissa Harlowe or Miss
Allworthy in a more peculiar position.
Miss Turner was startled and con-
fused, and wished to see her father, but
he could not be seen at Carlisle, and
contented himself with sending his
blessing, and message that she should
not lose moment, but hasten across
the border and liberate him from his
difficulties. The natural love of the
child prevailed. She yielded timid
consent, was hurried over the border.
and married at Gretna Green in the
presence of "A drunken blacksmith, the
landlord of q public house, and post
boy. Dread OF certain penal statute,
of the repeal Of which Wakefield was
ignorant, fortunately prevented the con-
summation Of the marriage. He was
also unaware that the marriage beyond
the border had interposed technical
difficulty to any prosecution for felony.
Being, therefore, in constant fear of
pursuit and recapture, Wakefield did
not let the grass grow under his feet.
The wondering bride was hurried away
by forced marches to London, and
thence to Calais. An announcement of
the marriage, with all due pOmp and
cermony, in the Morning Post, and a
modest paragraph announcing among
the departures from London Mr.. and
Mrs. Edward Gibbon Wakefield for
Paris, first communicated the astonish-
ing intelligence to the family,
They lost no time in seeking to re-
cover their young relative Armed with
q warrant, and attended by Bow street
officer, the uncle of Miss Turner and
Mr.. Grimsditch hurried to Calais, where
the deluded girl threw herself with de-
light into the arms of her kinsmen, and
turned from her betrayer with horror
when the whole scene of fraud and cruel
falsehood was exposed. A French mag
istrate authorized the grieved relatives
to take her home forthwith. They did
so, and at once commenced criminal
proceedings for a conspiracy against
the two Wakefields, their French SER
want Thevenot, and their stepmother
Frances Wakefield. The case came for
trial before Baron Hallock, at Laucas-
ter, March %. 1927, and, though the
early hour Of 7 a. n. was fixed upon for
tba o,1cpinc 4ba c,onic11c cbira bo11 vvoq
crowded to excess. OF the eight eminent
counsel who figured in the case, five
subsequently, rose to the bench and one
reasonably believed that the forensic
battle was well planned and ably
fought.
Mr.. Turner and Miss Daulby first
testified as to the facts within their
knowledge; /; the carriage was shown to
have been purchased from dealer in
Manchester ; postboys and innkeepers
testified to the route followed from L;v-
erpool to Gretna Green. Mr.. Grims-
ditch gave an account of the interview
at Quillac's Hotel, Calais, where the
defendant exhibited coolness and
"cheek" approaching the sublime. He
said that Miss Turner, he supposed,
was his wife, and he would take care of
her, but did not wish to make her rela-
tives angry with her, so would allow
them to see her. He acknowledged that
he believed he would send a bullet
through the head of any one who should
carry off his daughter III the same way,
brt said he was going TO make Ellen an
excellent husband. AS to the threat of
arrest, he said lie had more interest
with the police than his opponents. and
they were on the wrong side of the
| water for such performances. He then
called Miss Turner down to see her
relatives. She clasped her uncle around
the neck, and on Mr.. Grimsditch re-
marking that it was an Illegal marriage,
she exclaimed
+" am not your wife you have de-
ceived me.
Wakefield said
You must acknowledge l have be-
haved to you like gentleman.
eyes, | do acknowledge that !; but
you have deceived me, and L will never
more go near you again.
With the termination of Mr.. Grims-
ditch's evidence the forensic drama had
reached its most interesting point, for
the heroine herself, wisely kept for the
last by the prosecution, was now called
to the stand. She told her story in
manner at once so artless and so clear
as to win the sympathy of the jury and
spectators. She described the first ap-
pearance of Gibbon Wakefield at Man
chester, his ingenious stories about her
fathers pecuniary difficulties, and his
introduction of his younger brother.
She had then entered the carriage, sup
posing she was going to meet her
father. Gibbon Wakefield said if there
was no letter at Halifax, and If they did
not see Mr.. Turner there, they must
proceed as far as Kendall, where they
would be sure to find him. At Kendall,
William Wakefield read letter at the
chaise window and his brother looked
over him, but Miss Turner did not see
it. Had she been older, it might have
excited some surprise that she should
not ask to look at the letter herself, but
suspicion did not line the countenance
nor distrust overshadow the mind of a
schoolgirl of fifteen. Upon reading the