SINGULAR STORY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 3, Issue 749, 22 April 1881, Page 3

SINGULAR STORY.

The following singular story connected with the Tay Bridge catastrophe is told by the correspondent of a Dundee paper ;-A gentleman left his wife at home in a large town in the North of England, and started in December, 1879, on a tour through Scotland, travelling for a firm. He kept his wife acquainted with his movements, and wrote to her from the Scotch metropolis about Christmas, telling her when ahe might expect him back, In his letter he intimated that he had arranged to go to Dundee via the Tay Bridge on the evening of Sunday, December 28th. The announcement made in the Press of the bridge had fallen, carrying with it an express train ' and many passengers, greatly alarmed the gentleman's wife, who feared, naturally, that her husband was among the victims. Her fears were confirmed by the fact that she received no letters trom him, and could discover no trace of him anywhere. She went to Dundee, passed in review the bodies recovered, and eventually returned home, believing herself to be a widow; the firm for which the missing man had been collecting accounts, on their side, giving (jip the money as lost Some time afterwards a gentleman, who knew the missing /paaaeDger well, chanced to be in London, oil entering an omnibus one day was amazed to see him in a corner, of the vehicle. Explanations were asked and refused; but- all who had an interest in the missing person's fate were apprised of the discovery, and his whereabouts was speedily found out. The result of the inquiries made was that he had not gone down with the Tay Bridge, but that after the accident, feeling sure that his friends would believe him to bo drowned, he went to London, squandered his employers' money, murried a young woman, and was enjoying himself at his ease when the truth was accidentally discovered. He wa9 subsequently arreted for embezzlement, and sentenced to a year's imprisonment. This sentence has almost expired, but the prisoner's fear is that he will only: recover his freedom to be brought again before the court on a charge of committing bigamy. If this extraordinary Btory be true, his fears will, in all likelihood, be realised.

Keminiscenceb op wmumioN.—ln tlie year 1845 a worthy citizen pioaded his way with some difficulty through fern and ti-tree to Te Aro Flat baing in search of the 6iirveyr's opeg which had been driven in at the corner of what is now Cuba and Dixon streets. Upon this spot was erected a small . house, in which a very successful drapery business wad carried on by two ladies of remarkable talent and energy, who have long since retired from the scene to the 1 nd of their birth—"Land o' the mountain and the flood, ~ Land of brown heath and shaggy wood. In the year 18GG it passed into the hands o! .•Mr James Smith,, the present proprietor, y|io gave to ijie'' premises the appropriate namtf of'Te Aro House! and' under' 'whose ipn'age'ment business hiin stfcit'dily' pro(jieMed wijh the rising forfpes of the city, Jinfil' at length it'waij found" that a conside[aljie enlaigejnehfi iVas necessary, and 'the feajilt was, Te Aro- House', as at present, one of the most, complete' and Extensive Drapery Establishments in the colony ol New Zealand, The jeneral Drapery occupies a large space, being 49 feet by 25 feet,' amply sufficient for all Manchester goods, Fancy-'Dresses, Silks,' Gloves, Hosiery, Ribbons, laces,pc. The Men's, Boy's, and, Youths' Clothing Department measures 24 feet by 14 feet, aud lias attached a. comfortable fitting-room, Carpets and Household furnishings have-a similar Bpace allotted to them, The Show-room for the stle of Mil- • . linery, Mantles, Jackets, Costumes, Ac., is a very spaciouß apartment, elegantly fitted up, and beautifully lighted from the roof, and measures 39 feot by 22 feet. The stock of goods s at.all times large and well selected, and patterns are forwarded post free on application. A special feature at Te Aro House is the Order Department, and yery careful attention is paid to tji?' \vaiite of (Jototry Rfbfdjmv' expiiufed (ijiHe'r tifi'e imiifijfetp sp'efyifcion of jMpjopfietpr, and securely packed and forwarded to their destination with'' that promptness ,qpd despatch vfhich have always' distin pished Te Aro House,' Cuba-street, Welling on.—Udvt.l