ELOPEMENT EXTRAORDINARY.

Dunstan Times, Issue 645, 28 August 1874, Page 2

ELOPEMENT EXTRAORDINARY.

Tho good people of Clyde were rather astonished and amused last Saturday evening by a swell Chinaman riding hot haste into tho Town, apparently in pursuit of something or somebody, which appeared to : bo a matter of “ life and death ” that he j should overtake, and curiosity was further awakened when, on alighting from his horse he enquired, “ have you seen my wife.” Such an interesting enquiry, from a disheartened looking Mongolian, naturally suggested an investigation into such an extraordinary circumstance as an elopement in “Chinese high life,” when the following particulars were elicited.—Tho deeply injured husband is a Mr Ah Tong, residing at Queenstown, following the profession of a carver in wood. It appears that this Chinese gentleman had within the last month paid a visit to Dunedin, where he fell in love with a young and good looking European lady, “ just sixteen years old.” He offered marriage, and was accepted, and returned to Queenstown with the “darling of his heart.” Connubial bliss went on uninterruptedly for some three weeks, when the young lady of “ blushing sixteen ” got tired of the almond eyed partner of her heart, and essayed to run away, which resolve she put in execution on Saturday morning last, in the shape of a clandestine departure by the Mail Coach, and duly arrived at Clyde. Fearing pursirt by her lord, and anxious to escape, she managed to bo taken out some seven miles on the Dunedin road, there at a farm-house to await tho passing bye of the town coach on the following Monday. Mr Ah Tong made a strict searcli of the town all through Saturday night and during the greater part of Sunday, but nothing assuring could be learnt to bis oft icpeated question, “ have you seen my wife?” Surmising, or it being hinted to him that the flitting fair one had just gone a little way on tho Dunedin road, ho hired a buggy and drove out to the Chatto Creek Hotel, where he put up for the night. Anxious as any Chinese husband should be that had lost his wife, Mr Ah Tong was up betimes, and as tho early morning coach drove up, he espied among tho inside passengers, stowed away in a corner the dear object of his search and troubles, and demanded of Mr Henry Nettlefold, the driver, the restoration of the lady ; there was no alternative but for Cobb and Co. to give her up, and she returned to Clyde in company with the almost disconsolate being, whose peace of mind and mundane happiness she had so baselessly sought to interrupt for ever. Mr and Mrs Ah Tong duly arrived in Clyde, but the breach of affection could

not be healed, the laly positively declined to “ love, honor, and obey ” any longer, and to all the entreaties of her endearing and despairing husband,she persistently remained deaf, declining to have anything more to do with him. Both are onca more living in single blessedness, but poor Mr Ah Tong still lingers about the town, and at regular intervals of the day, knocks at the door of the dwelling which contains the fair creature he so deeply loves, but to his inquiries of “ how is my wife,” there is returned the one answer, “ she knows ytu no more.”