RUNAWAY MARRIAGES.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1663, 18 April 1884, Page 2

RUNAWAY MARRIAGES.

' ," That's all bosh!" remarked a wellknown American pliysicitin to a journalist tlie other day, as.be threw down a paper containing an account of a j runaway in which the daughter of a! local politician figured as the heroine. • "What's bosh, doctor.?"/asked the; reporter, on the look-out for a possible! item. ; "Why, this runaway' match, whichj you have just published. •■•The; girl's' father is a sharp man, but'thjsis one of; the sharpest tricks he has ever played since I knew. him. That elopement was all a sham. It's as' simple' aslati'be. The girl's father, is one ot the best known men in'this section; of the town, and is a politician; besides, i Ho has, necessarily,', a large' acquaintance with the element who areahvays expecting hiui to 'stand ■ treat'up'oOhe slightest "pretext, s :and, with- ihu pij'd '. the'-!we'dditig ; festivities,• su'pperj and !ptber : .etceteras,'.:his'.:,.daujgKterfs' marrirge, is solemnised in' manner, would have ! oost him a gr£at deal of money. An elopement saved all this, so he just opposed his daugt

tor's wishes enough to give a pretext for the two to run over to Jefferson, where the expenses of the wedding, all told, didn't amount to more than five or ten dollars. There were no fine dresses, flowers, gifts, or anything of that sort, and when they returned home they had a chance to go to housekeeping'quietly and ostentatiously. It was a shrewd plan and a sensible one for all parties concerned.. ,['l have known a number of runaway matches which had no" other reason than economy. Parents, relatives, and all willing for the young people to commit matrimony, but the expense was a seiious consideration, and a little timely opposition which caused an elopement smoothed out the crooked channel in which the course of tijue'love was running; Thocost'of the wedding was saved for housekeeping, the' young couple were forgiven, arid allwent on as merrily as if there had been any amount of marriage-bells ringing.' / " In what class of.society do such marriages oftenesb occur', f■, : -■•, ;: , ' " Generally in the : middle classes—those who are -only moderately well-to-do, and who yet want to keep, up appcarahcesif The ; very poor and the exjr'oinely rich' are noYer tabled with ■ .such considerations, but the poor and )Wriroud often make.use Qf this 'stratagem, -,l've known of. some very aristocratic couples starting on. their ' matrimonial journey with an elope.raenfc, which was caused by nothing on earth save a want of funds." •: " Are the young people over in this 'secret?" !'Sometimes, but not often. Generally they are innocent parties to the deception, This is a new way to look . ot an elopement: but it's the real-' explanation of a good many, as I know from personal observation.".