A ROMANCE OF REAL LIFE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1181, 1 December 1883, Page 1

A ROMANCE OF REAL LIFE.

The Maryport Advertisei publishes a romantic story, for the truth of which it vouches : —Upwards of twenty years ago a husbandman, a native of Cumberland, married a girl belonging to the county, and the newly married couple went to reside with the bride’s friends. The bridegroom, however, could not agree with them, and in the course of a few months be left bis wife and went away, no one knew whither. The woman bad reason to believe that her husband, after leaving her, took his passage in the illfated steamer London, which in the year 1865 or 1866 foundered on her voyage to Australia. A large number of the crew and passengers were drowned, and among them were the- Bishop of Sydney and Gustavus Vaughan Brooke, the tragedian. Seeing in the list of those who perished a name similar to tbatcf her husband, the woman concluded that he was dead. Shortly after her husband’s departure she gave birth to a daughter; and the two lived together for a longtime without any particular incident occurring to change the current of their daily life. After waiting for many years the woman married a miner reeidirig in a village necr Maryport, and the pair has since lived happily together. ~The daughter is now married, and has gone to, Newcastle to reside. A few days ago the first husband made his appearance at the residence of a sister in Wigton, and to her he stated that lie had for some time been living in Newcastle. He then made inquiries respecting the wife he Had left, and was surprised to hoar that he a married daughter living in Newcastle, the town that he: had himself been residing in, and that his wife was married again. After seeing some of his relations at Maryport, to whom he announced his intention of searching for the daughter he had never seen, he proceeded to the residence of his wife, not far from the town, in order to obtain his daughter’s address. The second husband was not at home when the wanderer arrived, and the woman was in the house alone, t He knocked at the door. When (he, woman opened it she failed to recognise him, and asked him what he'wanted. The man asked if she had a daughter alive, and if so, where she was living. The woman wished to know his reason for asking such a question, and asked if he was any relative of her daughter’s husband. “No; I am a nearer relation that.” The woman then invited him into the house, and, procuring pen, ink and -paper, gave him the address, which was: on a letter she bad received from her: daughter, to copy. The man was so unnerved by the interview that he was unable to write at all, and asked r his . wife if lie might tear the address off the letter;. This she agreed to, and tearing off: the address he put it in his pocket and prepared to leave the house. As he was crossing the threshold he turned, and looking her full in the face, said, “ Well, E- , you have got married again, and I hope that you will do well by your husband and live comfortably ; I am your daughter’s father.” The poor woman knew him then, and, almost fainting, cried in a thrilling tone, “Oh ! Jim,” but before she recovered her composure '>e walked away.