The Runaway "Army" Captain's Career.

Thames Star, Volume XV, Issue 4866, 14 August 1884, Page 2

The Runaway "Army" Captain's Career.

The Christchurch correspondent of the Auckland Star telegraphs )tue following : —The story of " Captain "Beddingfield is by no means untinged with romance. He first came to this colony about geven years ago, and went to the Waikato dis trict, where he worked at bis trade of compositor. While there he was seized with rheumatic fever,, and wa9 laid up for a considerable time. Then he moved to Napier, where he was again' attacked, with the fever. After working through the North Island, moving from one. printing office -to another, he determined, about five years ago, upon returning to England, and in order to do this he worked his passage before "the mast!, The inducement for his trip was that in consequence of the death of his father, he had become the possessor of a moderate- sum of money, and, as a man of property, he felt justified in marrying. The lady upon whom his choice fell is distantly related to him—a second cousin. He came out to New Zealand again, and settled in Napier, where his mother and other relatives-are now Hying. Having worked atKis trade there went for a short period into the Government printing office, and in June, 1882, came down to Ghristchurcb. Bsddiugfield was ai Unitarian; and his father was a minister of that persuasion. He seems to have been most respectably connected. He claimed very close relationship with.the late Win. Makepeace Thackeray, and there is no question that Thackeray )used; to: correspond with the family. Beddingfield liad one of the letters,in j his possession. He was a general favouriielwith those who knew him,.and: everybody regarded liim as a man of singular blaihelessness— as a man of energy and earnestness of purpose. Three weeks after the Salvation Army j u opened fire " in ''- Christchurch, he announced his "real conversion'■ by their agency, and about,two months,afterwards hVjoined their ranks.■•■-"At-that time he" was one of (he night staff;;-of£ compositors on one of the morning journals, and wias • earning- good wages, 83 that in throwing up his ordinary occupation he made jei considerable pecuniary - sacrifice. From the .moment lie .^joined the Salvation Army his career was very anxiously watched by some bf his old com panions, and -his- apparently -thorough devotedness to his hew calling won their esteem. His character seemed so blame less, and his zeal was so marked, that he fairly^jumped to }$& rank of captain, and to Hiss Bendall (the; '• Litttle Won* der'') .he became a,,:"^orb of guardian. This guardianship, hpweycr, had its bitterness. , The Sydenham^foik, it is said, used sometimes to wag their heads with an air of wisdom, and hint that Beddingfield and:;th<? Wonder-" r^ere very fond of one another; As .events have proved, the gossips, were right Every■ body feels sorry for Mrs Beddingfield; so heartlessly left with her two children. "She was," says one who kneV her yier^ well, "a goddj kind-hearted ; woman." It is understood to be duetto,;.a;certain; little unpleasantness Respecting the aj^ parent "fondness "before .spoken;^^of.'thatT Beddingfield's sce^e of operaUpnif^a,B changed from Christchurch to Ashburtciini and ultimately to Dunedin.