A STORY IN HIGH LIFE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 6, 20 March 1878, Page 4

A STORY IN HIGH LIFE.

The Sydney correspondent, of the Melbourne Herald hrn telegraphed to that journal the following sensational story : — "lt is stated that a serious social difficulty iv lii»h life bas just ended in one of her Majesfy'p Ansirnliin colonies— not New South Wales The whole affair, it seems, aroae out of several Ministers of the Ciown being bachelors. As usual, his Minister's advisers were frequent visitors at Government House. The Governor had a very handsome and attractive daughter, and two of the baicbelor Ministers were captivated by her charms, and both visited Jhe vice-re^ai residence for the purpose of seeing the young lady more frequently than iha Governor and his lady caroJ for. The Governor's daughter, however, appears to be placed in a dilemma, and not beirg able to nihke up her mind, encouraged both suitors. Both gentlemen were hardly pressed, for they could not be but sensible to the advantage of allying youth and wealth, and good station to political power and popularity. The lady eventually made up her mind, aud determined which one to accept, and this decision was a great thorn in the side of the rejected colleague of the accepted suitor. He, however, presspd his Buif, and. it was undaretood, with such succesp, as to almost induce the lady to changß her mind and favor him instead of his colleague, when all at once the prosecution of a church dignitary for not registering the marriage of the persistent wooer, disclosed the fact that he was already married to a person far below his station, while at the same time he was suing for the hand of a much higher personage. This disclosure, created, as might be supposed, a terrible flutter and scandal, and the gay deceiver was peremptorily forced to withdraw from Government House. The lady then desired to fall back on her first choice, end eacouraged bis suit, but he immediately declined the intended honor, and a few days since married the daughter of a merchant in the same city. Thus both bachelor Ministers obtained epouses, while the lady was left lamenting." The key to the name of one of the gentlemen concerned is given in the above account. Our Sydney telegram (writes the Herald of the next day) about the doings at a certain Government House, raised no end of gossip in family circles last evening, " Who ia it ? " *• Whert is it?" everybody atked. Inasmuch as wrong guesses were made, poin (inrj very near homo indeed, we may stale that lhe Queensland Government House is referred ie, Bud ouo of the " lively " bachelors not quite accurately described as euch, is the Hon. Mr Douglas, of Queensland. Ria wife died about a year ago, and he has recently married bis servant, thereby causing the explosion described by our telegraphic correspondent, A later telegram from Sydney in Friday's Herald sayg : — Another development of the scandal in high lifp, telegraphed a few days since wbs made public (his morning. It will be remembered that the daughter of the Governor of one of the colonies received attentions from two Cabinet Ministers, when it was discovered that the favored one was already married to his servant, and the other declined after that to consent to his attentions being regarded as eerioue. This gentleman (the Hon. Geo, Thome, the then Premier of Queensland) subsequently married Miss Unacke, the daughter of a Melbourne merchant. He subsequently resigned the Premiership, and announced his intention to leave for England iv theLusitania with his bride. Pursuant to this announcement, Mr and Mrs Thorne went on board the steamer iv question on the dßy appointed for her to sail from Sydney. There was a great crowd of persons on board seeing their friends off. The ex-Premier of Queensland and his wife were accompanied by a large number of acquaintances of both aexas. Juet as Mr Thorne stepped on board, Supreme Court Bailiff Thomas made known his presence, and politely intimated that he was there to execute a writ at the suit of Kate Keenan, barmaid at Lennon's Hotel, Brisbane, who had instituted an action against the hon. gentleman for breach of promise of marriage. The writ was intended to prevent the departure of Mr Thorne. His arrest created a great flutter on board, especially among the Indies. Fortunately Mr Thome's fiiends were with biro, and there was no difficulty in obtaining the necessary bonds that he would meet the suit. They entered into bonds for costs and damages, and Mr Thorne was then released, aud proceeded on his voyage.