AMUSING MATRIMONIAL HOAX.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 10, 11 January 1877, Page 4

AMUSING MATRIMONIAL HOAX.

j in.'spiteirji^^ the: man*^; .xpo'_aV.s/bf ; applicants ' ifoV 'the inarriaga state j through adyertiaements, and the hoax which is' played upon theai, another ! dupe, has been, found in the, Manchester Examiner and Time's* d. a certain gentleman who would ] Ij^e fjo correspond with.a lady of, highly ; resp^ciabl.a .- parentage^, with a; view;tp; ' matrimony ;i .a . .photo, required, which; would be honorably returned,'' ■: So: read v.the;; .adyef tisement , of the wife-" seeker, and' in CdnhQceion with ; it a number of young: gentlemen met at one ofithe;Mancheiteir,.hotel8 fl and dec^ to .'^sge jth^ Tfseryijo^ -ofj^a^yejral aiaafceuritheatrjcala yjSp> cj»rr^-;.t]^e-!;pro't. posed boas into effect. A Miss Sherborne, lof:, Londop,,, was, .engaged, r,to carry on the correspondence, and- in answer, to a letter, the ad»€irtißar for- j vvarlded th^e.iollo.^ing.'^t^'i.riasgo I October -V-lS7€WtMy-_dea_v_r_ ara i pleased to note in your letter that you i trust this affair is not a hoas. I pledge j my word as an of the most honorable .Scottiahbirtb,and; holding one' of "the highest 1 positions 4a cotnoaercjia^ circles; as « toercbantin this city, that, ;l iShall treat y'o ii. ' correspondence; honorably, hoping the day is not far distant' when I may. claim yon as my wife. I have had twenty three applications id" my advertisemehts, bat 1 1 fear many of them are mere jokes, and your wish; is no greater than my own tbat this shall be _ bond fide ' transaction, if such, can be said of the correspondence." Several letters; passed on &a.h r ßidej which. were aiwayS a'ddreseed to the Pbstoffice, and eventually 'the advertiser^,, .being-; C9n.yioeed of the earnestness of Miss Sherborne in the matter, propoaed to meet her in Maocbesterj: an^ be suggested that; after a wlek'Sstay in the city they should get married. T ( he young lady replied that she and her father would be tiaost bappy tci mee^t; hia?;. A secomd. private theatrical had been engaged to personate old Mr Sherborne, and iha pai. awaited at ihe Victoria Railroad Station the arrivakof the .Glasgow! merchant. A Signal of recognition, having bep_gi*?en, the parties ! were raoott together, and safely seated in a waggonette .which ; was waiting .outside, tho station gateSs Y7 The advertiser appeared to be a gent, about 4j5, of highly respectable,, appearance, and wak accompabied' by a'coniSdentiail valet,-' who' aeemed to; look, wiih great suspicion upon the" venerable : old gent, and his lovely daughter," as the merchant styled them. An adjournment '■ was made to the Queen's ''Hotel; and j after a few of the sights of the "city had j beenseaD, it was suggested that -ihey j should "hopoeward fly," which waa accordingly done. In a shbrt' iime tbe advertiser was safely deposited at the eupposeji residence of tbe Sherbornes', in Plymouth Groyei, y . Here the gay party received a cordial welcome from some twenty » ; guests " who had assem bled to meet them, and everything passed off very smoothly until after .dinner. The. ad ver User, proposed, ehe health of Mr Sherborne'in a flatteriog manner, but as it had baen^ arranged that -the fun of the evening should' commence at this juncture, "_lr Sherborne," instead of reSpiying, threw off his r ,disguise to., the- intense amusement of the company, and the dismay of the advertiser, who accused those present of being totally unfit to move in tbe circle of life to which thby appeared to ( belong.; . Jtf.it] was raoney tbey |wa_fad he would give it .them, apd threw; on tbe table some £80... He then made; for the' door, but tbis was found to be; ,'fast^ "and; -as "he stood near, uttering! Vengeance f against all, a string was| pulled, Overbalancing a large quantiiyf of.flonrJrppi.nf-a shf|lf on the top oi the'door, and which completely covered the unfortuoate Scot. He pipked aa his hat, into which had previously, been poured , some, paraflo ; oil, arid' ''has" m placed it upon his head the oil adowo his ; face and neck* Whilst meditatipg L o^er tlie best mode of ea.ape, a bag of flour of sulphur was .emptied ;. pyer bis head, which changed his appearance. cbysill^rabiy.'^.'ln.^tbi^ state he wae ai owed to le/ive the housed but was greeted outbade by a cumber ot young meo wiih small parcels of spoil ___' rotten eggs were not forgotten! Before being permitted to escape, huj face was rubbed. wij.h treacle, wi»icb| when combined with flour, sulphur, and patufih, his features presented a: novel apearabceV The valet Came in for a share of the treacle, aoot ? «s;c., and as tbey .made their exit from The Ordve; both Rooked .more like members of a _,'* Christy'/ JSlinstrbla " in evening dress than a merchant and valet, - ' '-' {