MATRIMONIAL ENTERPRISES.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4214, 22 September 1874, Page 3

MATRIMONIAL ENTERPRISES.

Some of our contemporaries have lately been narrating incidents of Colonial life connected with the institutions of love and marriage. The following is from the Southland Tunes :— “The Western district adds to the long list of incidents substantiating the truth of the old everlasting Greek proverb which says that the course of true love never does run smooth. The story is this ; A fair young lady—not a barmaid, remember, but a young lady of education—took it into her head, or rather her heart, to fall deeply in love with a gay Lothario, who, besides being connected with the Press, possessed in addition to that grave mis-recommendation, confirmed musical and theatrical predilections. Ho also possessed one failing of a not uncommon kind amongst young men of social talents and tastes, but he was young, handsome, and dark-complexioned, had a disposition to gallantry, and possessed a certain amount of ability, so the young lady fell in love with him. It is said that the lady’s mother was not averse to the match, but her father was decidedly opposed to it, and so the feelings of the lovers coming to a climax, they in a manner ran away from the land of the West, and came to Invercargill with a view to getting married by a Registrar. On a certain morning, on a certain day of the week, Lothario went to the office of that functionary, and, with some fluttering of heart and agitation of manner, explained the purpose of his visit, and gave the necessary particulars, and departed, promising to come in the afternoon with his bride elect, in order to complete the interesting ceremony. But in the meantime, a friend of the lady’s family hearing of the affair, and having an uncomplimentary opinion of the young man’s character, and knowing also that the young lady was still in her minority, went and—hang his officiousness!—lodged a protest, interdicting the marriage with the Registrar. And so it happened, when the young people, accompanied by another lady and gentleman, called on that officer, that he was ‘out on business.’ A telegram, informing them of the state of affaire, was sent to the young lady's parents, who arrived in Invercargill during the following day, and took their daughter away home. So these fond lovers have been ‘ euchred,” as we think, in a most unfeeling manner.” The New Zealand Herald relates the following characteristically Colonial anecdote ; “We are not certain whether the following may bo looked upon as pointing a moral, serving as a caution, or as something which is desirable to be followed as an excellent example. It has nothing whatever of the ideal or the romantic, or tho abstract about it, but very much of tho practical. Some time back a young man landed on our wharf from the Bay of Islands. He was in a very despondent frame of mind, for he had, in the language of romance, courted a; young woman, and the young woman having wanned up considerably in his favor, she, as young women and old women included have done before and will do* again, jilted him. Then he came as stated. It was at the very hour at which tho female immigrants were being landed from the Miltiades. The thought struck him—a happy thought as it has since turned out. He watched the young women as they filed along the wharf, until one struck his gaze, and seized upon Ids admiration. He followed her to tho barracks, sought the matron, and asked her for an introduction. This granted, he there and then proposed marriage. Tho girl was unable to give an answer that day, . but would, she said, the next. The next day came, and tho answer

was favorable. • The day following the 'clergyman had' made the’ twain one)' Then the young husband took his young wife back to the Bay of Islands and introduced her to the lady who had jilted him. And the lady did not like it, nor does she like it any the more that the couple sit before her in church every: Sunday, by which her devotions are not so fervent as under other circumstances would perhaps be the case. The young man says he has got the best of wives, and the young woman declares to possessing the best of husbands. So mote it be. Marriage is a lottery, the only kind of lottery which is not illegal. The immigrant girl went in and drew a prize.”