A ROMANTIC BEGINNING.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 937, 3 October 1910, Page 4

A ROMANTIC BEGINNING.

AND A TRAGIC END. '

Referring to the,pathetic 6toiy (recently, published An The Dominion) regarding" the death of Mr. Hunter Blair on Littla Barrier Island the "Huntcrville Lxpress" states—"A member ol our staff, who was at ono time employed in the head office of the Government Tourist Department, WoUington, where deceased acted in the capacity ot messonger and general utility hand, states that Robert Hunter Blair was of aristocratic Scottish descent, and closely connected with a namesake of his;'who; acted ■as -'aide-camp :■ to:, one:- 01.;,, -_■■ , [New Zealand's:Govern6rs^v^he^decM^^VW.;; ; 'whoiwas-of'a/-roving.nature, r foUowed;;th9:,;.-;::..: ; occupati6n:6f.Va'-miner' only■'.to see , it.'vanish':in lative' v mining /enterprises;: ylater:.Dame; Fortune smiled- once more at-'mmy and;oy: ;.•■' 'l«tt-'Wm''iri'a':s'tete-'ofvafflnehce.^\.Bnt, : wilds* of unexplored.country..'kept, a call-.;. ;,-..,'■ -;. ing, and- he .went: back : prospecting: and ;.;: a-: speculating, :finally .toy spend.■;■ hisplasty;;;:y pound- on a.cheeiite mine.Nin y.Central y;,;:y ■OtaEo.-'- Some - five'years i ago ; .he : ;.was;. en-yyy> ; ga' ; ed ■'by: the GovernmentvTourist^De^,?;:;,,.-• nartmentfor -work.'-on. the putting; of: the y;y : y ;; ; overland track; to; Milford:Sound;'and:it; «;;y, was there' that:romance' not;pfr-golaV:but x<yyy of 'love, into:v;his^life.-.: .A-<.few; yiy ; .:; -months prior 'to;the ;we:,are.v ±M about to, :&*[>;■s& possessing appearance, arrived';from, acot- ,:^,,.'.--; "&nd, ana; secured;«mploymerit:as,p eral servant: at-the':G6vernment:lourist.; : Department's'', accommodations house;^at y.o vy Milford; - It.' was; £ flonely::life ; for;;tliat:yyy vounc woman, and'one-morning in:desper-i:, ; ,;';.. ationsho started to;inake;the-.then,rough, y: -.' ■:. journey on foot '.to 'Lum'sden—through,; : .y;- : .- : dense- .y----■Aboutfour miles from :Milford'-.sne xamj>.,v::v;,:,;' on' Hunter -Blair, at .work..oaf : the/track.; -v It,was-, raining hard;and: : being^U;. and, ; :y v : y distressed-she y. ,; 'c'oursa of'conversation;:'it was; discovered-.;..': ;■'., that'they"came froin ; the/same iplace.in;;::;,;:;,: Scotland^'Hunter Blair; leifc,the-young;:;;?.;;■; his camp^returned;to: the; ac-,;;y -4 commbdation vhouse;;.and;;;obtained-;-;her;:;;;;;..-and onsreturning;to ; the; camp.-.re-^--;- I v-,:-. !sumed:the:loni::and arduous journey-to ~:;:::,: took; onithree. days : tp do it; most of %hich;.time';Hunter Blair,-4;,,.':,:: had ;to scarry.' his;.:companion, : ; as owing>>;^: to her cxpbsure'she v had-.developed;pleur-:.;;-,.;; ; : isy' Medical treatment uigvat Lumsdetf rapidly- restored:;b.er£W;w;^: >. health, and'she immediately became^Mrs.:,-:.;,., ; . Hunter. Blair./ A ; romantic ,wooing,;truly, • v;; with a tragic ending. ■ : Hunter .Blair was , : v a man-.of. about.s2,years-of^age^much.y^v.: : travelled' and deeply,.read.::With:.his.m-,;:.:,;:; herent love-of 'lonely' /;■-;< ture-it'seems meet.-that:.he:,;should,,haye,:,-.f'.:.,-: passed :away'on- a;.l.qnely, : birds screaming.' a- ,; regniem..^!:^;;:-:,^-;,-^^;