A SOUTHLAND ROMANCE.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11510, 17 February 1903, Page 3

A SOUTHLAND ROMANCE.

(SP_Cl__ TO "the pbess.") GORE, February 14. The "Mataura Ensign" says:—"Towards the end of October, 1887, considerable eensation was occasioned at the end of this district, and indeed all over the province, by the start-ling disappearance of a young man." Shortly before he had leased a block of rough country comprising portion ol one of the numerous education endowments. "He had erected a but upon the property, and was making preparations to utilise it for pastoral purposes. One evening he left his hut to snoot game in the bush, taking with him a muzzle-loading gun and his dogs. Later on his dogs appeared at a neighbour's house, and evinced all the canine signs to indeate the occurrence of some untoward event. "This circumstance, coupled with the fact that the young man's fiancee had bad a vision foretelling his mysterious disappearance, led to inquiries being instituted, which resulted in the discovery that he had not returned to the hut since he had been seen entering the bush with, his gun. A search was made for him, it being inought at'first that he had merely lost his way in the bush. Later, however the t-eory gained ground that some accident, had befallen him, that has gun had gone off accidentally, and had either killed or wounded him. No trace of him was found, however, and there were not wanting suggestions that perhaps he had been murdered. "The young man* relations,, who resided in another part of the district, kept up the search for a considerable time, and a large" amount of money was expended in the fruitless quest. Eventually the insurance company holding a policy over hi* life paid over the amount to bis father, the latter giving an indemnity to refund the money should lie reappear. There was no suggestion of suicida in the case, as the missing man was in good circumntances, having a substantial credit at the bank, and being at the time engaged to be married to the daughter of a prominent Dunedin citizen. "After a lapse of yeara the memory of the affair became obscured, and it eventually passed into the realm of unsolved mysteries. , "About three weeks ago, however, came the sequel. A relative of the young lady to whom the missing man was betrothed fifteen before, met him face to face on the street in Dunedin. The recognition was mutual and almost instantaneous. "Asked how and why. he bad disappeared, the central figure oT the old-time mystery said that at the time he had vanished from the knowledge of his friends, he had been suddenly smitten with an insane impulse to go away, and was ashamed to come back. "Where he has spent the past fifteen years has not yet transpired.''