A CURIOUS LOTTERY FOR A WIFE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1601, 5 February 1884, Page 2

A CURIOUS LOTTERY FOR A WIFE.

The London " Times" of Friday 26th October, contains the notice of the death of Lord Congleton, at the age of 78. " The Right Hon Yesoy Parnell, Lord Congleton," says the Times, "was born in Juno, 1805, His Lordship was twice married—first in 1831, secondly in 1833, to an Armenian lady, Khataon, widow of Yossoof Constantino, who died in 1865, He succeeded to the family honors on tho death of his father in Juno, 1842. Lord Congleton is succeeded by his brother. While in India two years ago I chanced to hear quite a romantic episode in the life of this peer which possibly might not otherwise find its way into print. Fifty years ago, in 1833, there were at Bagdad, in Asia Minor, three young men, missionaries of a new sect, the Plymouth Brethren, if I am not mistaken. Ono of them' was Francis W. Newman (brother of Cardinal Newman), a man who has distinguished himself for as pronounced radicalism in religious teachings as any man in Englsnd; the other was John Vesey Parnell, and the name of the third I have forgotten, At a time when it became necessary to return to England, the sole result of their labors was a young and beautiful widow. It was impossible to leave her behind at Bagdad, as, by her apostacy, she had been disowned by her friends. What to do was made the subject of prayerful consideration by the young men, and it was finally decided that it was the duty of one of them to marry her as the only means of rescue, They cast lots, and the lot fell upon John Yesey Parnell. After their marriage he took her to England, and "five years later she became Lady Congleton, living, it appears, till 1865. The story is authentic, and the episode is noteworthy'as ah evidence of an enthusiasm which has few parallels in missionary enterprise.—Letter in N.Y. Sun.