THE RUNAWAYS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 74, 20 December 1917, Page 8

THE RUNAWAYS

A MILITARY ROMANCE

The following is a story of one of tho most romantic weddings of the war (says the "Daily Sketch"). It is a storw of a wounded oflicor falling in lovo witn. his hospital nurse. l!ut in this casa the nur.se was the daughter of a peer,, who objected to the patient as a bridegroom im the ground that his pursuits in peaceful days were with the stage. "Wo are the two most amazingly happy persons in London," the bridegroom, u big, bronzed, broad-shouldered South African, declared to a representative when invited to toll the story of his romance. His bride enthusiastically endorsed this sentiment, and each supplied details of a romance which a few" months ugo had a happy culmination in. Scotland, following their escape from provost-marshals and detectives. The romance had its beginning last Septembei —just 12 months ago. Captain Dennis Wyndhara—he was then a lieutenant in the R.F.O. and the Wiltshire Regiment—was brought homa from France suffering from gas poisoning and the effect of fjhell shock. Hewas taken to Lord and Lady Inchcape'a. Hospital in Seamore I'lace, Mayfair,where he was nursed by His Lordship's daughter. The acquaintance thus begun ripcnwl into affection, and eventually Captain Wyndham sought an interview with Lord Inchcape, but because of the officer's connection with the stage His Lordship refused to give him his daughter's hand. Captain Y>yndham left for another hospital in London, and, to quote the words of his bride, who took up tbe narrative at this point, "we became secretly engaged. We had arranged to get a marriage licence," said the happy bride. '"fte went to a registrar's office, but my father, who had heard of the arrangement, and had unexpectedly arri-ad in London from Scotland—he reached the house just as I was leaving it—had previously sent a solicitor to the office, and the registrar made an objection, which meant a delay in issuing the certificate.

"Thus we realised that active steps were being taken to prevent our marriage. My husband had been discharged from the hospital three weeks before, and we learned that his leave had been cancelled, and he was liable to be arrested for being absent without leave. We got away from the registrar's office, as quickly as possible, and taxi'd to tlie office of my husband's' solicitor to. get his'advice, but he happened to be out of town. As wa drove: away wo found that we were being' chased by provost-marshals, so we made for a restaurant in Coventry Street, whore we took several people into our confidence, and they stood by us splendidly, and helped us in every possible! way. We found that the provost-mar-shals were watching us. We went into telephone boxes and changed our' clothes." the bride explained. "My husband entered a box in uniform and. came out in mufti. I had had a tailorcostume on order at a shop, which I was able io send for aud change into.

"Our great difficulty now was to get. away from the restaurant without exciting the attention of the lurking; P.M.'s, and several of the people who had our confidence helped to cover our movements. One gentleman, when he heard of our little adventure, was so anxious to help that he offered to placi!) an SO h.p. motor at- our disposal. However, we got away without exciting attention, and our taxi-driver, who was; in the secret, and behaved like a brick, all through—raced off to Willesden Junction statiou, where we got aboard a train for the north. "We landed at Crewe at one o'clock in the morning, and there, travelling third class, we joined a train in' which there wore a number of soldiers and. naval ratings. Knowing the stations* were likely to be watched—as indeed, they were —we felt it would be safer' to travel amongst these lads, and. thought it best- to take some of them: into our confidence. When the ladtii were informed of tho adventure* they expressed their 'readiness to do everything they could to help, and all wanted to - lend m.v husband their uniform.' However, we were allowed to finish the journey without further attention, and landed in Glasgow tho next morning, where wo stayed with my husband's ■friends: "It had been our intention to go to Gretna Green," Captain Wyiidham explained at this' point, "butl- the blacksmith bfisiness did- not appeal to us. We had to wait two days m order to get a special licence, and on the Wednesdav morning, v.'heu wo culled at St. Aioysius Church ill connection with tho arrangements, the priest us wo could he married there and lilien, so we got married on tho spot, with tho verger and an old lady, wlm was praying at the time of our visit, as witnesses." , , ~ ■That night tho bride and bridegroom left Glasgow for London, and sent a telegram to friends announcing their wedding and intimating that they wero returning to town. At Euston they we're met by a. provost marshal, who "arrested" the bridegroom. "That P.M; was a splendid fellow, commented Captain Wyndham. ''His took us both to his house and served us 'with a capital breakfast. I was allowed to gst into unifoin' at once, and wii subsequently tried by a general, who reprimanded me. I told him candidly the reason why I had been absent without leave, and there was no bitterness about Ins reprimand. In fact, he seemed to be smiling over it. Captain Wyndham, who has since been invalided out of the Army, comes of an old South African Army stock. His connection with the stage has not been a life-long one.