A FORCED MARRIAGE.

Dunstan Times, Issue 526, 17 May 1872, Page 1 (Supplement)

A FORCED MARRIAGE.

“At the village of Halkirk, some few miles from the town of Thurso, Gath ness-shire, was solemnised a wedding on the 27th of December last the accompanying incidents of which are both romantic and sad. The bridegroom is minister ofa West Highland parish the bride a lady belonging to Halkirk For some days prior to the mamageday the bride exhibited an unaccountable aversion to the husband, which was interpreted as arising from agitation at the prospect of leaving her home and not from any dislike to the gentleman himself. When the wedding-day arrived and the guests assemb’ed, this feelirg of aversion became more more marked, and the lady refused to leave her own apartment ; so her father was o 1)1 igod to inform the dridegrooin, t’.ie guests, aud the clergyman (who was wailing to perform the ceremony), of the singular resolution of his d • liter. Persuasion however, was one more r 'sorted (o, and the oiheiating clergyman and his wife at length prevailed on the unwilling bride to have the ceren ony performed. The sequel pvov, r, Tie inpruden. of forced maniages. When the ceremony had been completed and the ring put on her finger the lady threw it away in disgust. Eventually the brid.'.gioora and bride left in a post chaise on their way to the! Highla d home but only soon to part co upauy. Somewhere to the south of Helmadale the newlywebbed wife made her e'eape, and reached her father’s home on Sabbath morning. The event has crea’.ed an intense excitement in the district, and the utmost sympathy is felt for the unfortunate lady. How the bridegroom may take the affair can only yet be conjectured.”