A SAILOR’S ROMANCE.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9171, 15 June 1908, Page 6

A SAILOR’S ROMANCE.

Discussing the fatal fascination of gold braid and buttons for the girl who takes a voyage Home, Christina in the Australian tells the following story of a boardship romance : An Australian girl, in spite of the displeasure of her mother and the anger of her father, a wealthy man of some importance, became engaged to a?, and O. officer on the way back to Australia, a few years ago. Her life at home after .the departure of his ship was the reverse of pleasant. The father vowed ho would disinherit his daughter, and taunted the girl with giving herself to “a fortune-hunter.” It is amazing how seldom a father can comprehend a young man’s love and devotion, if the object of, it is his own daughter, (to him an ordinary and commonplace individual enough). One can imagine how such an insinuation wounded and hurt the lonely girl. The mother aided her husband In “twitting” her with the miserable mate!) she was making. \Vith pride and independence the girl declared that she would many the man she loved, money or no money. Then the ship’s officer returned, and the marriage took place in the presence of the annoyed and still protesting parents. Tne newly-married pair went straight off to England. Judge of the surprise of the bride’s parents when she wrote from England to say that her husband had resigned the merchant service. “You see,” she explained, “he has the lovely estate in Kent his father left him, and over £2OOO a year” The ship’s officer, determining to prove the girl’s love for him through all difficulties, had “kept dark’ ’ his estate and private income, till tho knot was firmly tied.