ABSENT BRIDE ROMANCE.

Taihape Daily Times, 29 December 1917, Page 3

ABSENT BRIDE ROMANCE.

BRIDEGROOM WHO WAITED IN VAIN AT CHURCH. A remarkable story of love and romance comes from the peaceful town of Castlederg. In fact, it reads more * like several chapters torn from a thrilling novel than an episode from real life A young lady and gentleman had been keeping company, and, in the usual fashion, decided to become united in the bonds of matrimony. Everything, ran smoothly until the lady’s people gof wind -of the affair. and then matters were made anything but pleasant for the intended bride. They objected in the most emphatic manner to the proposed marriage. , The day bad been fixed for the wedding. and the bride-to-be, not being in a position to communicate with herintended husband, the latter did not for a moment realise that he was about to encounter » terribly bitfer disappointment. Punctually he turned up at the church and found the clergymen in waiting, ready to perform the Joyous ceremony. As time went on, and there was no sign of the bride, he very naturally' became most anxious as to her welfare, and eventually sent a tolcsram to her home to see if there was anything wrong- Ho waited In vain for a reply'To his wire, as none was forthcoming. Seeing that it was fruitless to wait any longer,► at the church, the *j}brplexed and sorely distressed bridegroom hired the service of a motor-car, and hurried with all possible speed to file abode of his lady love. Here, however, he was doomed to further disappointment, ns he was utterly unable to ght any satisfaction for the non-arrival at the church of his youthful bride. Therefore he returned to town in dejected spirits. it was not, however, the fault of f the bride that the ceremony had not been duly performed. During thu evening she succeeded in effecting her escape from the house, and, getting possession of a bicycle,'she rode off to Castleberg. When it was dis covered that she had gone, the hue and cry was raised, and a cyclist was sent, to bring her back again. Eventually, before she coula reach her destination, she was overtaken and brought back to captivity. Her friends then decided that, she might make another attempt to get married, it would be better to remove her to aplaee further off* from Castlederg. Accordingly, they, hired a hackney car, and drove the girl to the remote little place of Belalt, Rossnowlagh. Their plans to prevent her getting married, however, were neatlyfrustrated. The girl told a couple of fanners her story, and they showed sympathy of a most practical kind. They quickly sent a message to the troubled bridegroom that gave him great hope, it was to the effect thar he was to bring a motor-car at one o’clock in the morning, and his bride would be waiting for him. He turned up in good time, and hisTJntle was waiting to embrace him. She climbed through a winodw to" escape detection, and the happy couple off to Castlederg, where, after all their, trouble, they were made man and { wife ' !