ROMANCE IN REAL LIFE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 2756, 10 July 1924, Page 2

ROMANCE IN REAL LIFE.

father, and bon and WEDDING GIFT. Auckland, Tuesday. A romance in real life has been revealed here. Borne Tour years ago a man, who hud been reduced to employment as a hotel porter, inherited considerable property and went, to England, which he left some 22 years previously, having then divorced his wife. On returning Lo New Zealand he purchased a country property near Auckland. One day there came to him on business a young man whose features seemed familiar, and the man discovered that their names were the same. Borne inquiries with regard to the mother's maiden name led the older man to speak disparagingly of her at which the youngei man grew indignant. Finally, the older told the younger he was the former’s son. Afterwards the elder confessed to a friend that what made him admire the boy was that he had stood up for his mother.

The father was determined to test his son and so did not divulge his actual position, though a friendship developed between the two who met frequently. Then the son invited his father to ins weddmg, but the latter refused point, blank to take any part in the ceremony. The lad was plainly hurt, and then the older man told him gently that there were certain reasons why he did not wish to go, but he said: “1 will be pleased to meet your wife afterwards.” Then, toiling his son to wait, the father went to a table wrote for a moment and handed him a sealed envelope. "Give this to your wife niter "tile wedding 10- morrow,’’ Jie said. "Do uot let her open it before.” When opened at the stipulated time a cheque for £1,900 was revealed.