A LITTLE ROMANCE IN ONE CHAPTER.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2080, 3 September 1875, Page 3

A LITTLE ROMANCE IN ONE CHAPTER.

About e:ghteen months ago (writes the Ballarat "correspondent of the > Pleasant Creek News) a resident of this distr.'eb. who boasted, and 1 believe truthfully, of the fact of blue blood of an old family coursing through his vejns, married and left ;o se^tfe elsewhere. At the time the ceremony was performed the gentleman in -question'attracted, jjust that s,mall amoiint of notice usually'accorded by l)?e world -O one who sometimes can afford threepenny-worth of beer for bis Sunday's dinner, but more frequently cannot. However, a few friends did assemble together, and wish all happiness to the newly-wedded pair, who shortly slipped away from us unperceived and noi; missed. When I state the wife (a stranger hereabouts) was as poor and unknown as the man she knelt; beside at the altar, I shall hare said all that needs to be said concerning a marriage of which few were aware, and about which as many cared. Hard work in another colony was to the couple the only reward that seemed likely to mavk the fulfilment of a long ani affectionate engagement. Neither had to their knowledge kith or km on the face of the earth, so placed strong reliance jn• e^cli pfliey tyheft they plighted then 1 troth.

Now mark what the whirligig of time brings about. ~ la April last the husband was " wanted," not by the police, but by a firm of solicitors, who then placed him in possession of some river-side property in London, the rent-roll of which, means a little over £13,000 annually. He had kin, but so fay removed as to bo quite unknown to him. The mail which reached Sydney last told of further favors in -store for the fortunate couple. ' The wife had succeeded, not to a title, but to what is J?etter, £34,000, bequeathed to her by ."if natural brother, of whose existence she was doubtful, and of whose whereabouts, and as events have proved—riches, sic had not the ghost of an idea. I recollect so"ne Years since heavng it said of the now' rich-Thames property-holder toat he was "a soft fellow, always lending half-crowns to impecun'.ousfvjeads, and never, ps a matter of course, recovering them." The taunt was rather nicely met by the man at whom it was thrust —" True," he replied, " I cannot deny it, but did you ever hear of me having asked for the loan of a shilling, or owing a man a penny P " His worst enemies could not reply in the affirmative.