QUEER WAYS OF WINNING WIVES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 24 August 1907, Page 3

QUEER WAYS OF WINNING WIVES.

Not long ago there was held in London a "Beauty and Deportment Competition." The first" prize in this was to be awarded to the prettiest girl and most graceful waltzer. Any bloom of cheek or curve of eyebrow due to adventitious aid led to immediate disqualification.

A gentleman from Torquay happened to be staying in Loudon at the }ime, and announced his attention of offering his heart and hand and income of £SOO a year to the winner, and wrote to the promoter of the competition to say that lie was 43 years of age and anxious to settle down, and therefore was desirous ■ of meeting a suitable wife. | How a Scarborough girl surmounted her troubles sounds like an orthodox romance. An unhappy love episode led the distraught maiden to attempt suicide under distressing circumstances. Her pitiful tale got into the papers, and ultimately came before the notice of a young gold miner in British Columbia, who wrote to some kindly people with whom the young girl had found a refuge, and offered to~give her a fresh start in life. As a result of full inquiries she went out to British Columbia, where the young couple fell in love with one another. and are now happily married. One day last year, a well-dressed ntnii rushed into tho stntion at Padding ton and demanded a ''special" for Bristol. Close on his heels followed another man, also out of breath, "Special for Bristol!" he gasped. Then he caught sight of No. 1 and glared at him vengefullv. No. 1 responded with a baleful scowl. Then the two specials tore together out of tho station. It was a race for a wife. The lady had l>ecn staying in London, and both were in love with her. She loved No. 1, lmt lie was a diffident swain. No. 2on the other hand pestered her so to marry him that at last she fled home to Bristol. From there in a moment of vacillating despondency, she wrote to No. 2 to say she would grant him an interview.

Here the finger of Fate intervened. Both men were stockbrokers with adjoining offices in the same building. No. 2's letter was delivered by mistake to No. 1. who inadvertently opened and road it. Honorable enough, he sent it into No. 2's office, and took a cab to the station. No. 2, of course, promptly followed suit.