ROMANCE IN HIGH LIFE

Southland Times, Volume 2, Issue 97, 5 October 1863, Page 5 (Supplement)

ROMANCE IN HIGH LIFE

(From the Court Journal ) Among the ladies presented recently "on her marriage" was one to whom a romantic little story is attached. The ladj', who belongs to a West of England family, had formed an attachment for a young man, eligible enough in every respect except fortune; but he, unlucky fellow 1 seems to have been regarded with favorable eyes by the mother, a widow. In order to see the daughter more frequently he was very attentive to the matron, and appears to have overdone his part, for she not onl}' fancied he reciprocated her feelings, but actually went so far as to hint of her approaching nuptials to some of ber dearest friends. An explanation, a scene, and the departure of Romeo to America or Africa, or some out of the way place, was the result. I-es absents ont tort ; there was no correspondence permitted between the young folks, and within a twelvemonth (in fact only last summer,) a baronet with a peerage in prospect wooed the young lady and was accepted by the mother in her name. The marriage was to take place at the close of the season. Juliet, however, proved true, and became veiy ill. The great Sir llichard pronounced it a case of incipient decline, and recommended the Pyrenees — a very pleasant trip for the healthy, whatever it may be for the sick. Here Juliet's maid met her "young man,'' who by a strange coincidence, was Romeo's "gentleman." We may presume there was stolen interviews and renewals of vows. Pau and the Pyrenees (to ssy nothing of Romeo's appearance) soon worked a cure, and the young lady and her . mother returned to London early in the year, when the interrupted marriage was fixed for an early day in March. Of course there was a great deal to be done ; the young lady had much shop ing to go through, and in her visits was not always accompanied by her mother, but never unattended by her trusty maid and confidante. One morning she set j off rather earlier than usual, but did j not get back until between one and , two, Avhen she was accompanied by a gentleman, who desired to See the mother. They had that morning been married at some East-end registry, and Mr and Mrs Romeo — very penitent, but Very happv — came to beg a mother's pardon. There was a violent explosion ; the runaway bride was told never to show her face there again, and probably she never would have done so had not the rejected baronet used his influence in favor of the offending pair. Nay, move than that, the baronet was so j smitten by the mature charms of the widow, that he made her his wife before the end of May, the young couple being ecclesiastically married at the same time. If this pretty romance had appeared in a book, it would have seemed too improbable to be true, but this is only one confirmation more of the saying that " truth is stranger than fiction."