Romance in Real Life.

Manawatu Herald, 5 April 1894, Page 2

Romance in Real Life.

A curious scene wag witnessed one Friday afternoon in February, outside Paddington Station. A respectably-dressed young wohian who had arrived at the terminus from the country was quietly proceeding in the direction of..Edgwareroad when a young man'^iKJiQ, respectably dressed, met her, tjfrned deadly pale, and exclaimed, /*£Oh, Helen, we thought you werj^iSfead," and would probably have fallen to the ground in a fainting condition had not the young woman and sympathetic wayfarers who witnessed the unusual occurrence assisted him into a temperance refreshment |ious« where restoratives were obtained. The case (says the to be a strange one. Th'e l; g!rU had for some time been a shop assistant at a village on the outskirts of South London, and had there., become engaged to the young man. She left her place, and returned to her parents in the country for ■ aiaoliday. Somehow or other a report wag spread in the village that the girl had suddenly died from; influenza, and the news appeared so circumstantial and detailed that it obtained general credence. The lover was disconsolate, mentioned his grief to the pastor of the Methodist chapel where he and his sweetheart had worshipped, and the minister next Sunday preached a funeral sermon, drawing suitable lessons from the unexpected decease of their young friend. All was over. The young man was, it appeared, actually on his way to Paddington Station, en route to the home of the girl with the view of visiting the grave, when he met her in the flesh, alive, and looking very well. She declared that she had written to him once, and was astonished not to, havfl got an answer. He, on bis side, Averred that the missive never reached him. It is very probable that the Methodist minister who pronounced her funeral oration will soon be a^fcSdffo Officiate at a still more interesting wremony.