CAREER OF AN IMPOSTER.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 121, 2 June 1870, Page 7

CAREER OF AN IMPOSTER.

The Sydney "Town and Country Journal," of 2nd April, is responsible for the following rather sensational and highly interesting narrative : — " Almost every settler in the saccharine districts of the Northern rivers — from the Manning to the Brisbane — has had some acquaintance with the gay, insinuating and affable gentleman, who calls himself the Baron de Grrammont, and claims to be the representative of one of the oldest ond most patrician families in France, the warlike and immortal deeds of whose ancestors have been chronicled by Froissart, and recounted by every historian and many novelises, down to Alexandra Dumas and Victor Hugo. The baron, in early life, sought the torrid clime of Bourbon wherein to venrilate his chivalry and to gain a practical acquaintance with the mysteries of sugar-boiling, which, having accomplished, he was wafted by favoring breezes to the new world of Australia. At the Hastings, the Macleay, and the Clarence he soon became famous — none so daring or so skilful in the heated atmosphere of the boiling-house — so profound in chemical knowledge, or so ready in mechanical contrivances for extracting the saccharine juice. Yet amidst his numerous engagements upon the sugar plantations> and a constant request for his services by the enterprising colonists that have chosen that all but royal road to fortune, ' the Baron' not unfrequently managed to make a flyingtrip to Sydney, fo-r the purpose of disposing of a little 'sugar,' in the shape of a cheque or two, the proceeds of his persevering exertions. He was, too, in the belief of his fair freinds, another young Lochinvar, not only ' dauntless in war/ but * faithful in love.' At Port Macquarie and the Hasting lie had caused aching hearts to susceptible fair ones, to whom he had oft related the glories of the great ancestral race from which he sprung, and he led more than one fair creature to entertain aspirations to the proud title of Baroness de Grrammont, and a high place among the noblesse of the French Empire — perhaps, to sigh for the reascendancy of the Bourbon star, and to long for the downfall of the dynasty of the Cbrsican usurper. In saccharine regions, however, the enraptured fair ones sighed in vain. ' The Baron,' like many a baron before him, ' loved, and rowed away/ and the knowing ones said, as- they shrugged their- shoulders, she would be a very clever lady that became Baroness de Grrainmont. The Baron's last arrival at Sydney took place some time before Christmas. At his lodgings on this occasion he became acquainted with a very attractive widow witb wham he very soon appeard to be fascinated, and upon whom he straightway commenced to lavish attentions, taking care to makeherfully acquainted with his claims to the proudest of titles and the noblest descent. An understanding was soon come to between the parties, and it was believed that the baroness had been found at last. The wedding was to take place at early day a with all the ceremonies

becoming the union of personages in exalted life ; and, until that happy day arrived, Sans Sonei, Botany, Manly Beach, and Parramatta, were resorted to by the enraptured pair as trysting places in which they could indulge in all the tenderness of affianced lovers, and anticipate the glories of shining amid a galaxy of the restored noblesse of the Bourbon Court, when Napoleon 111. shall have met his proper fate upon the guillotine. The widow, amongst other acquaintances, had a charming friend, a maiden lady — possessed of 'sugar,' of course — to whom the Baron was introduced. His lordship at once, with the ingenuousness and ingenuity in matters of the heart for which he had always been celebrated, hit upon a plan for a double marriage. Forthwith a particular friend of his, bearing the not uncommon name of Brown, was escorted to the widow's lodging; and presented to her fascinating friend. Brown was an 'immensely rich coffee planter from. Ceylon,' looking for a wife. Brown saw, and, seeing, loved at first sight; he did more — he conquered — he was enabled to exclaim, 'veni, vidi, vici,' and, in accordance with the Baron's enthusiastic proposition, both unions were appointed to sake place the same day at St. Andrew's Cathedral and at St. Mary's, so as to make them doubly secure The happy day was fixed, and wedding rings were purchased. These essential preliminaries being settled a further round of gay excursions was enjoyed, and nothing could be happier than the lives of the blissful quartette. However, the wedding day arrived, and Brown unfortunately was 'slightly indisposed ;' so being under the doctor's hands it was thought advisable to postpone the double event until he got better, as much of the eclat would be taken away from the wealthy coffee-planter's marriage, if it were not simultaneous with that ot the Baron. In his lordship's case also, his friends said, the services of the two metropolitan bishops were to be availed of, and they could at the same time marry the wealthy Indian planter and his expectant bride. But, strange to say, when things had been thus arranged, both the Baron and tho wealthy coffee-planter, without bidding their engaged ones adieu, left tho city for a few days for tho restoration of the latter's health, contenting themselves with sending to the respective ladies a message to that effect. Now the affecting part of the story commences. A Mrs. M., another widow, attractive in person — fat, fair, and forty — wealthy to boot — and well known to the Sydney public from the tragical fate which had befallen two of her husbands — had some time previously ingratiated herself into the good books of the anticipated future Baroness, and through her had also become acquainted with the Baron. It had been observed that his lordsh ip had always been deeply interested in the details which the new widow somewhat ostentatiously related of the extent of her worldly possessions, and particularly with regard to the ' sugar ' she had in hand. It was remarkable that this lady mysteriously disappeared last week, at the same time as the Baron and Brown, the wealthy planter, went on their health-seeking expedition. Circumstances quickly arose which caused the affianced brides to scrutinise the movements of their aristocratic adorers, and to theirhorror they ascertained that instead of going to the country they had surrepitiously and perfidiously taken passages in the American barque Rover of the Seas, which had cleared a few days previously for San Francisco — and what made it more provoking still, tho rich widow was with them, and it was a proposition that almost amounted to a dead certainty, raised by the disappointed fair ones with many a hysterical laugb, that this creature had paid the passages and outfits, not only of the baron to whom, it is said, sbe is to be married instantly on the ship's arrival at San Francisco, but also of the wealthy planter — the fascinating Brown. Through the boisterous weather the Rover of the Seas, with these rovers on board, was prevented from going to sea for some days, and one of the deserted and indignant ladies sought a judge's warrant to detain her false lover, on the ground of certain pecuniary advances slie had made him in her too confiding moments. It was found, however, that this could not be had in time : so a boat was procured, and last Tuesday, though a gale was blowing of terrific fury, and the rain poured in, torrents, the ladies, at the peril of their lives r boarded the ship as she lay at anchor in Watson's Bay. The scene on the quarter-deck may be better conceived that described. The delinquents coidd not escape this final judgment, although the Baron tried to ascend to ! the masthead, and Brown, the wealthy | planter, t planted ' himself in the cook's \ galley. The captain, a very gallant t Yankee, produced them both for final | judgment- It is needless to say that these recreant knights cowered beneath the bitter reproaches that nieb them. i The Baron is described as havingtrembled ' like a leaf ■ But nothing could induce him. to make restitution, and the ladies had to return to. town, ofter having exhausted their powers of vituperation : and the tale is now told, so that others of their "sex, over sensitive in nature, may not put too much confidence in French barons or wealthy ! Ceylon coffee planters in future."

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