Northern Weekly Gazette. — 1906-10-20 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

THE MISSING BRIDEGROOM.  ....,...em....•1111,......••••••••••  Great indignation prervailed amongst the distinguished guests that were bidden to the warrine feast of Miss K— sirud the wealthy stockbroker, John Esq., a London 'and LLvlEtrpool, and the indignation was levelled at the devoted head of the bridegroom who had failed to put in an appearance to n;ake the nuptial YOWL At twelve precisely the bride had arrived at the church, accompanied by her father and sisters, who were the attendant bridesmaids. Ten minutes elapsed, and no sign Of John B—; twenty minutes,' and then a messenger wee spatched in, hot haste to inquire the reason of the extraordinary delay. The steeplei clock had boomed out the hour of one, and the usual crowd of curious passersby had dwindled away, leaving naught but the invited guests, when the messenger returnod with the news that Mr B— was not at his home in Grelley-street, nor had he been since the previous evening, when he had left to fulfil an invitation to dine with his prospective fatherin-law, Sir Edward K--.  Quite right! And he had kept the appofirtmeat, but departed at a oomparatively early hour (between) nine, and ten) as he wished to °complete some preparations for the morrow's ceremony. It was two o'clock before the di&ensolate little party moved quietly out of the pews in which they had beeoaitting, and .drove quickly home, after profusely apologising to the courteous incumbent who had awaited so patiently the COlniag' of the grooo.  "A scandalous outrage on society," was the verdict on every side, by Press and public alike, whilst countless letters were written and duly Published in the newspapers, condemning the man's heartlem conduct towards the sweet girl whose affections he had so basely trifkd with. Then the affair began to assume a more starthug asPect. Where was be, this fickle lover, whom deeerban had called forth such a storm of reproach? And was the stigma shortly to be removed from his name by a terrible disclosure so far unthought of—murder For a week had arow gone by without a glimpse of him either at hie home 4::or business premises, and anxious friends and relatives began to apply to the. Scotland Yard authorities, asking their help in tracing the missine, bridegroom.  It was then we received a letter from Sir Edward requesting ow presence at an early date, ;frith a view of employing us in an aitte'nlPt to unearth the mystery surrounding. the absent fiancee.  "Mt unheard-of dilomma, I'm said the baronet to Mr who wail head of our detective agency in Geoffrey-road. " You probably have heard the circurnstanoce of the Gass, and now my daughter refuses point blink to have anything more to do with Mr .B—, unless within a week he comes forward to explain his ungentleananly behaviour." "AM supposing," queried the detective "that the worst suspicions are veridical If the gentleman is dead, as some people iinagise, it would be a moral impossibility for lam to .obel her wish."  / • i;  NORTHERN WEEKLY GAZtfYt°  "Such things have been known, sir." At this juncture a footman entered, bearing a letter which he handed to Sir Edward.  "What is this r He. tore it open and hastily canned the contents, his face the while, iassuming a deep purple. "The devil!" he shrieked out at last in a paroxysm of rage as, hurling the letter to the . ground, he rushed out of the room, and in another instant we heard the street door hang, and preszaitly the noise- of a. cab bearing down the street.  Seizing upon the note we pocketed it, and re. turned to the office, there to Laugh hm.rtily at our client's discomfiture as we road the naively expressed epistle which had brought about the baranot's alarffingly rapid exit on the frack of the eloping pair.  "My dearest papa," it ran, "by the time you receive this letter I shall have become the wife of Charlie—l mean Lieutenant Herbert—who, es you kuaw, I love with all my heart and soul. Perhaps yotl fir betross,, dear, but can you roaeoruably blame me, after the humiliation X endured at the hands of MT B—, the husband of your choice, who, as Charlie e7cpreesee. it, declined to come up to the scratch? .Ik, forgive us, dear old daddy, and send us your blessing, which we will call for at Charing Cross Post Office before going abroad. "Charlie wishss me to say that he will take the very greatest are of your little treasure (meaning me), and he hopes sinoerely that your cifforts to find Mr B—. will eventually be crowned with success.—Your affectionate and happy child,  "mAnvJ,