The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-10-02

| Cases where bridegrooms fail to APP
/ pear ut the critical moment are not un-
common. 1t is an occurrence OF less fire.
/ Guencv to learn of n refractory bride,
vet there are unwilling damsels to
whom wreaths of real orange blossom
| and dozen attendant maids offer in
sufficient attraction.
An American girl exhibited for her
wuuld-hc husband a dislike SO profound.
| that. ignoring his dollars, she permitted
| herself to he led to the altar with II
determination not To wear the golden
:rmhol of marriage. Her gown was a
| triumph. the church was packed, a
grand spectacle awaited the cXpectant
audience. but--the wedding didn't come
eli.
If the assembly was disappointed at
the failure To carry out the orthodox
programme. ut least ii was afforded n
sunrise. The bride tainted during the
hush that precedes the solemn service
ana refused Ia yield To the usual re-
stca.ivcs. She was catried away to her
carriage. n linn bundle of white satin
and lacc-but 1t was not generally
Snuwn that her prostra ton was an ad-
nlirahle piece of acting throughout.
Less than three months later she mar
ried the other one" with whom ii Is
to he hoped She Will live happy ever
after"
To please her match making parents
beautiful country girl accepted the en-
ga"ement ring of Il wealthy society gen
tieman. proceeded to the duy-numing
stage. and then withdrew from the CON
tract by feigning insanity! Determined
not 10 give in. she kept up the dcccp-
ton for many weeks. the wedding day
being postponed time and again, in an
ticipation Of her recovery. Eventually
she was lodged In n private asylum. and
not until the news reached her that her
finance wished to break the engagement
did she show signs of rcclaiming her
former brightness.
The wedding dress. ordered i'm Paris
and received during the girls absence
WAS nut To exceptional use. Stripped of
It's bridal train. its ephemeral beauty
1raccd The form of the owner at the
first dance of the season, the wearer be-
!nG unanimously voted belle of the ball
What her former lover would have said
at such irrevcnt treatment of his pres
ont we are left to imagine.
Exceeding the romance of Il half
penny D'elette was the sensation calS-
ed by II brides refusal to accept the
| man Of her parents choice. Immediate
| w before the beginning of the service
| tho girl was seen to draw from the in
| side of her glove a small phial. which
she pressed to her lips in Il startled
manner. Two of the bridesmaids made
II sudden dash. and the glass was Shiv-
| cred into powder on the stone floor
while reddish liquid stained the i'm
mnculate satin of the bridal gown.
There was no wedding, the party was
conducted through "A side door. and the
unconscious bride was rapidly whirled
from the gaze of a too curious crowd.
Subject To analysis the stains on the
| frock were found TO be nothing more
| formidable than port wine. The girl
| confessed that she had acted thus to
scare her parents and the groom. but
/ h. mi
iercsiinG account of the attempted sui.
| eide of IL bride at the altar. The groom
did not press his suit further
Nv cleverly duping the whole weddin.
| uariv. Lancashire girl put off the
CEREMONY so distastcful to her The
| prospective husband was of the usual
| tvne-rich and ancient; the parents in
sisted on the union: the damsel resent
cd but drifted helplessly into the en-
"ngement. until trickery was the only
loon-holc of escapc. She confided i'm n
| cousin and the twain Matched a plot
whereby to thwart the affair at the last
| moment. telegram was handed To the
girls father lust as they were leaving
tn" house for the church. It's perusa!
revealing the information that n terri
| hlc explosion had occurred at the mines
and IL was surmised some relat of
| the family We're cnt0mbed. His imme-
| diatelV attendance was demanded: de-
| Law might he disastrous. There was no
alternative: the first train carried him
To the pits; and-the wedding was de-
| fcrrcd.
The interval thus afforded gave the
bride chance and when the iratc pa
| rent returned. swearing vengeance on
| the delinuucnt, another surprise await
! ed him. His daughter had mysteriously
disappeared: WHITTIER, nobody could tell
| AS. however. the cousin was also alb
| sent. the calculating guests added the
| "a bf.
! refreshing conclusion that the coup'c
| had cloped. Time and a telegram sub
| Stantiated this decision.