MAY AND DECEMBER.

Observer, Volume 4, Issue 86, 6 May 1882, Page 115

MAY AND DECEMBER.

If we are to believe the Melbourne papers, especially the Bulletin, which gives photographic likenesses, a curious wedding has taken place recently in Victoria. A certain Mr Nicholas, an ex-bank clerk and anything else he could get, whose father is one of the true Berry-ifces and secretary of the Reform and Protection League, has just espoused a certain buxom widow of a Mr Johnston, of Toorak. The lady is about thirty years older, in fact more than twice the age of her bridegroom ; and what makes the marriage even more indecent than the Baroness Burdett-Coutts and Ashmead Bartlett is that the defunct Johnson, who left the lady £50,000 a year and a residence (once the vice-regal palace), is not yet six months in his coffin. This union of May and December has created a profound sensation in Melbourne, which is not the less vivid because it was whispered that the handsome but rather impecunious bridegroom was already engaged elsewhere to a beautiful girl, and because the lady of his choice has a considerable family by the gentleman from whom slie derived her fortune. Itis rather a misfortune that such careers should offer themselves to our Colonial youths, who already are too fond of sliirking real work in the country and hanging about the large cities. As for the gentleman chiefly concerned in this affaii 1 , we know nothing but what we read, and can only hope he may be happy in his choice.