King of Klondyke.

Manawatu Herald, 6 April 1899, Page 3

King of Klondyke.

MARRIES A LONDON LADY. AN UP-TO-DATE ROMANCE IN REAL LIFE. REMARKABLE CAREER. At the Roman Catholic Church of Corpus Christi, Brixton, in February Mr Alexander Macdonald, " the King of Klnndyke," and the reputed possessor of 27 millions sterling, was married to Miss Margaret Cbisholm, eldest daughter of Supt. Cbisholm, of the River Police. Mr Chisholm is a native of Strathglass, Invernesshire and a prominent London Scot, being the President of the Gaelic Society of London. The adventurous career of the bridegroom, and the almost | equally romantic circumstance" under which he first met Miss Cbi?holm attracted many to the ceremony besides the friends of the contracting parties. THE CEREMONY. The bride, who was given away by her father, was attired in a a dress of ivory satin, trimmed with cream lace, and carried in her hand* a magnificent shower bouquet. The bridesmaida were the 3 Misses Miller Miss Elizibeth Chisholm (-aster of the bride), and Miss Maud Rand. They were dressed in pink satin, with white hats trimmed with primulas and cerise, and carried bouquets of carnations, with cerise ribbon*. Their hatpins were dia-mond-studded and they wore gold, bracelets with diamonds, the gift of the bridegroom. The nuptial mass was celebrated by the Very Key. Canon Chisholm, uncle of the bride, assisted by the Rev. Father Van Doorne, parish priest. THE WEDDING QUESTS. Mr William Chisholm, the bride's cousin, accompanied the bridegroom as be3t man. There were present several friends of the bridegroom, among whom were the Rev. Dr Macdonald, of Invernea, and Mr Ronald Moirison, of Dawson City. After the ceremony the wedding party proceeded to the Holborn Restaurant, where a banquet was held, at which 80 guests sat down. The bride cut the wedding cake with the sword used by her great grandfather at the battle of Culloden. Mr Macdonald and his bride afterwards journeyed to Bournemouth fir their honeymoon. Thence they will depart shortly for Klondyke. TH* 1 . BRIDEGROOM'S LIFE. Born 39 years ago, in the town of New Brunswick, N.S , of Scottish parents, Mr Macdonald is d scrib> d &<* fyuving led fur 20 years the Ruudy life of a settler. It was when h^ was in his 20th year tha* ht> fi^t tnrn d his attention >o uviling. II a ring <i the success of i-hi j si'v -r mines of Mexico, at tbnt time th • nvnt pro duetive in the world, h. fi s'. b»nr his st'P* in that direction, ;md th n> by dint of hard labour aod steady perseverance, he soon succeeded in acquiring a fortune. FORTUNE AND RUIN. The very richness of his minf>° t however, proved his ruin. The immense quantities of silver put forth annually by the mines of the world gradually led to such a depreciation in its value that he was finally compelled to realise at a lo^s. It was at this time, early in 1895. that ha resolved to go to the gold field, of Alaska. Diw-on Ci'-y at that time was nothing more than a collection of hutp. Far from being a city, as it is now, of over 80,000 inhabitants, it wag a place where moat Raid at 4). per pound, and egg* cost 2s. each, and vegetables were unprocurable. PILING UP MILLIONS. At the end of barely 3 years Mr Macdonald found himself the owner of no less than 78 mine", including those of the famous Eldorado and Shookum groups, with a yearly output of above a million pound?, and valued by the Government assessor* at over £27,000,000 Instead of allowing his good fortune to elate him, and lead him into foolish ex travagances, Mr Macdonald is re ported to have become still more ah stemious, and displayed in greater prominence his benevolent disposition. One of his first acts was t" rebuild, at the cost of many thousands, the R^man Catholic church at Dawson city, of which h had been a staunch member. Abon this time, also, he resolved to l*av. the cold climate of Alaska and visit. England. A TRIP TO ENGLAND. Armed with an introduction to >> Scotchman, resident in London, given him by one of bis companion-, he arrived in the M^trop'ilis early h: Dec. laat, taking up his quarters «♦ the Hotel Cecil. Afer vi^tine h> parents in Scotland, and plucinthem far h> ynnd the rparh pf p->v-rtv. he decided 'o find nut S'»p\ Ch'-holtn of the Rivpr Police, to whom th letter of introduction wa<» arlrln s^rl Hp visited Mr f'hishnlm's hnn«s«> ft Brixton, fell in love with hi* eld^drtughtpr, and wa<> married' to her on Thursday.