HEIRESS WEDS RAILWAY PORTER

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 59, 3 April 1909, Page 3

HEIRESS WEDS RAILWAY PORTER

t WARD fN CHANCERY. l ' A love story which eoiues from Shropshire rends like a chapter from oik- of y Fielding's most famous works, even !0 1 the name of hero: Tom J one©, a young 1 railway porter, son of a house decorator, 1 residing at Pant, four mi.es Jium Oaucstrv, has secretly wedded Miss Kvei.wi Dorothy liopton, a charming young lady who is reputed to be heiress to some , .1)10,001). The young lady, who, like I her husband, is only 'nineteen, has been residing at Pant with her moth.r. with whom she came from Hvretordshire some four or live years ago. Her father, - a retired British ollicer, who is at present big-game shooting in Uganda, is a Protestant, while her mother is a Ronuui Catholic, The lather, in 1002, during a brief visit to England, took steps to make his daughter a ward in Chancery. Two years ago, the young lady says, she wits sent to a Roman Catholic convent at Brussels. Being a bright, cheery girl, she disliked the quiet of the seminary, and in less Uian two months she returned. Five months ago she struck up an acquaintance with yoyng Jones, and as her mother was arranging, she says, to send her to another convent abroad, she decided to get married, So one day Miss llopton asked her mother in a casual sort of way if alio might marry. The mother thoughtlessly answered, "Yes, if you can lind anyone to have ' you." To a similar question put by the ' young man to his father, the latter replied, "You can get married twice over if you like." The young people took 1 the parents at their word. Archdeacon ? Wynne Jones, to whom they applied, j granted a special license, and the mar- • riagc took place in the porter's "dinner hour" at ilorton Parish" Church, the vicar, the Rev. C. R. Garnett Botfield, officiating. The ceremony was witnessed by the bridegroom's sister and by an Os- \ westry bird-fancier. a MOTHER ASTOUNDED. i:

After the service the couple parted, Jones returning to his oilicial duties, while young Mrs. Jones returned to her home to break the news of her marriage to her mother. At first Mrs. Hop ton refused to believe her daughter's statement, but the girl showed her the wed-ding-ring. This convinced her. When she had recovered from her surprise, Mrs. Hopton at once sent a telegram with the news to the family solicitor in Liverpool, and despatched a messenger to Welshpool to a Catholic priest. When the priest arrived the girl herself admitted him, and then left the house and rejoined her husband. She has not seen her mother since. The young couple moved later to 6ome iuruished quarters. The priest and family solicitor had had an interview with young Jones, anu he was asked to leave the district until lie became of age, meanwhile letting his young wife return to her mother. But the young couple will not hear of this. Young Mrs. Jones seems quite happy with her position, and says she requires no other society than that of her husband. "1 was christened in a Protestant Church," she remarked, "andTjaptised in a Roman Catholic Church, and X returned to a Protestant Church to get married." The young railway porter, interviewed, was asked whether he was aware that bis wife was a ward in Chancery. He replied: ""So I suppoefo I did not know that until after we were married. The solicitor who came from Liverpool and had ian interview with me was the first to tell me that. He told me I would get two years, but I pointed out to him that our ages were correctly given on the marriage lines. My wife was a Catholic, but she is now a Protestant. We did not start courting until four months ago." jV WARD IN CHANCERY. "Dfd she get her mothers consent to the marriage?"—"Oh, yes. She asked her mother, and her mother told her. she could marry whom she liked. She has a witness to that. The servant was uear at hand at the time, and overheard it.

"When my wife went home and told her mother of the marriage Mrs. lloptou was furious. My wjfe came away in the evening, and she has uOL been back since. We had the wedding breakfast in our apartment. My wiie got the license from Archdeacon Wynne Jones at 0* weslry. Wlu-n he was told how we got the consent he said that was sufficient.'

I understand that your wife is heiress to a fortune of nine or ten thousand pounds. Is that so? —"It is unknown to me." "I b.'lieve," said the yo.ung lad} later to the representative, "that I am entitled to somejnoney, but I know iumore than that."

Mrs. Jlopton, who seemed thorough!) distressed over the marriage, resoluteh refused to make any statement on the subject. The girl. 6he said, belonged to some of the best county families in England. Asked if she .had given her con sent to the marriage, Mrs. Ilopton said. "I decline to discuss the matter." Mm. flopton added that there had been n<> suggestion of sending her daughter back to the Brussels convent. She had been "out,"' ami had been attending balls and other social functions. what wei'e young Mrs. Jones 1 expectations, Mrs. Ifoptou replied, ''Absolutely nothing/' Mrs. lloplon added that us her daughter a ward in Chamvry. her (Miv. Ilop ton's) eo7isent to the marriage should have been obtained. Further develop mentis were hintvd at.