A WEDDING SENSATION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 81874, 26 October 1906, Page 4

A WEDDING SENSATION.

SUDDEN POSTPONEMENT.

London, September 14. A Yarmouth curre-pondciu writes: ''The marriage of Miss \\ inifrcd i-ell, the youngest daughter of the tnentbei for Yarmouth, lormerly oi" New Zealand, to Mr James Whitehead, lieutenant and adjutant in the Bengal infantry, was to have taken place yesterday, but it was postponed, without explanation, at the last moment. "Miss Winifred Fell and her father Mr Arthur Fell- M.P-. left tneir Wimbledon home, Lauriston llouse, a week ago. and came to Yarmouth for the wedding. The young couple had arranged to sail at the end of the mon'h for India, where Lieutenant Whitehead has to nsumc his regi mental duties. Many of the presents had already been despatched thither.

'"The news of the postponement -tartied Yarmouth. when- every preparation had hten made for the fitting ,-i-lebraiion of the marriage, wh en ,iad aroused the gteate-t enthusiasm among Mr Fell's constituents. "It is little more than two months since the young couple first met. MisFell was -pending a holiday at her aunt's Devonshire home in june, and Mr Whitehead, who wa- on, short leave, was introduecd by a cousin. The acquaintance rapidly ripened into friendship, and then love, and the romance was not in errupted during the holiday Mr Fell and hi- daugateis took in France. On Miss Fe.l - return to Wimbledon, Mr Whitehead proposed, and the wa*i cordially approved by Mr Fell. Miss l e'.l arranged for the ceremony to take place in Yarmouth, as a compliment to her father's constituency, and :o commemorate the success of her father ;n the recent election petition. Miss Winifred Fell and her sisters gave evidence, and were in Court each day of the long trial. '•The parish church was auorned with flowers, and a full choral service was arranged, when, .about four hours before the time for the nuptials, an authenticated announcement was conveyed to th" local newspapers to this effect: 'Mr Fell regrets the unavoidable pu-tponement of the wedding." To say that the intimation fell like a thunderclap fiebly exprtsse? the consternation among Con scrvativH in Yarmouth, who-e wedding gift, a diamond brooch, was to have been the bride's only jewellery. Everyone asked his neighbor the reason, but she oniy autaorised statement was that no explanation could be given. The bridegroom wa- to have been supported by the late colonel of his regiment as his best man, and the bride's s:ster Margaret was to have boen the only bridesmaid. "Many reasons are afloat as 10 the ciVrmn stance ~ leading to thi- painful episode. but as to the reasons for Ihe course taken nothing has been stated. Mm-li empathy \s expressed on ali sides for the m< mber- of the Fdl family on thi" unii'ward incident."