"THE COURSE OF TRUE LOVE NEVER DID RUN SMOOTH."

Westport Times, Volume VII, Issue 1066, 25 April 1873, Page 4

"THE COURSE OF TRUE LOVE NEVER DID RUN SMOOTH."

Recently was married in the vicinity of Auckland a very charming person, ■who umtod in herself that singular tria jimcta in uno, the terrestrial unity of maid, wife, and widow. Young, not out of her teens, with golden hair, e7cs sparkling like diamonds, a slightly aquiline nose, lips of rose-buds and a graceful figure, Harriet B about three years ago took by storm the hearts of all young men on the diggings. Her father kept a general store, and she, being well educated, "was his book-keeper. Business (lowed in upon him; ho was amassing wealth rapidly. Numerous were the offers of marriage his daughter received, but she rejected all of them —all of them hut one. She had giveu her heart to a fine, manly young fellow, who had a bhare in a moderately paying quartz claim, who adored her, and who had orice shown some little kindness to her father when he very much needed it. The lovers kept their engagement a secret. Harriet was not in a very great hurry to get married. She was quite content to wait until William had saved money enough out of the claim to buy and stock a little store for himself. , Besides the , period of courtship and engagement, if uot too long, is very much prized by some women. It is then that their lover's attentions are most chivalrous and delicate. Amongst those who pestered Harriet with offers of marriage was Jack H., reputed to be one of the wealthiest quartz-reefers in the district. Past middle age, addicted to the bottle, of a plethoric habit, and an ardent admirer of what he called the un-fair sex, he no sooner saw Harriet than he fell in love with her, and such was his pertinacity that the most decided rejections of his proposals could not make him abandon the suit. Ho quietly bided his time. Ho had seen a good deal of the ups and downs of the world. Her father, reasoned Jack, may wake up some fine morning and find himself penniless—and theu, Well, when misfortunes cometheycome in battalions. In an evil hour Harriet's father was tempted to speculate heavily in what were apparently promising quartz claims. They proved, however, eventually to be what is called " blows on the surface," turning out unmitigated duifers. As expensive machinery had been erected, and the companies unfortunately had not been placed under the Limited Liability Act, the old man, as most of his coshareholders were rather poor, suddenly found himself called upon to pay off all the debts, amounting for steam machinery alone on two of the claims to about ,£IOOO. He raised all the ready money ho could, paid off a portion of the liabilities, and staved off the evil day by giving bills for the balance at two months. During the time William made every exertion to raise money or dispose of his shares, but a panic had seized .on speculators, and the price offered him would not have sufficed to liquidate a tithe of the old man's liabilities. Jack 11. quietly persevered in his attentions, drank as much as ever, and made money at everything ho took in hand. It was the evening of the day prior to the maturity of the bills. William and Harriet met sadly, and after walking about a little, sat down under a fine old tree in a quiet spot not far from the store. She was trembling excessively, and evidently making violent efforts to command hor feelings. AVilliam ventured to press his iips to hers. Strange as it may seem, it was the first kiss of love. "The first and the hist," said Harriet starting to her feet, pale, tearless, her agitation gone, her feelings under control. All fascinating as she was, she had never looked so eminently beautiful as when she thus stood as it were for sacrifice. " Listen," she said to William, placing her hand on his arm. " We love each other dearly. .1 respect and love you more than- love can express. It would be for mo supreme joy to be your wife, to lay down my life if necessary to promote vour happiness." '" And I would sacrifice mine a hundred times for your sake," replied William. " I believe it," she resumed; "but tomorrow ray father may be a bankrupt. He cannot meet the bills. He is getting old. His heart is breaking. My mother, you know, is a confirmed invalid, 'requiring the most delicate care and attention. The state of my father's affairs 'affects her terribly. I fear the worst. There is but one way (her voice trembled slightly) to render my parents happy. Jack 11. called last night, offered to pay off all my fathers debts, and lend him besides any money he needed if '« would—" " Marry him," said William. " Yes," replied the poor girl, again "trembling, " And your reply was—" resumed William* "My love!" said Harriet, putting a litt'o ring on William's linger, " keep this for my sake, and think of me, not harshly, sometimes." She burst, into tears, and not daring to look her lover in the face, sprang from his side and ran into her father's house. William half stupified with surprise and grief, called on her next day, but was received with studied coldness. The father looked ten years younger. Unwilling to bravo tlio derisive pity of his comrades, the poor young fellow immediately sold his share for almost a song, and skirted for the West Coast, whero fortune favored him ; thence going to Queensland, ho was again lucky in getting into a capital quartz claim, and having sold his interest for a good round sum, the climate not agreeing with him, he returned to New Zcaluud. During

his wanderings, although ho had never enquired for nor heard of Harriet, he could not forget her. Her image was indelibly stamped on his heart. About three months after he bad loft, a large wedding party just returned from church, was assembled at the house of Harriet's father. The bride looked beautiful, hut pale and thin. The bridegroom, Jack 11., was almost wild with delight and drink. Champagne tlowed like water, and Jack drank freely. The bride took but little notice of him; he might drink as much as he pleased. He was accustomed to it, she said. Certainly women are pitiless towards those whom they do not love. Late in the evening, when all the guests, with the exception of a couple of the old friends, had left, Jack uncorked a bottle of brandy to take a last parting glass. He had been talking a little wildly, and there was noticed a strange expression in his eyes. Scarcely had he swallowed a bumper when he fell heavily on the floor. His friends lifted him up and were alarmed to find him senseless and breathing with great difliculty. A doctor was sent for. Jack had been seized with a fit of apoplexy, and in spite of the doctor's exeriions, before morning the poor fellow was a corpse. Immediately after the funeral, Harriet called on Jack's executors and handed them all the bridal presents he had forced her to accept. She attended assiduously upon her mother until the old lady in about six months died. Shortly after, having carefully ascertained that her fathei*'s affairs were in good order, she sold a little jewellery of her own, and sailed for the Thames. Quietly, on landing, she made every inquiry for William, but could hear nothing of him. He had about that time left for Queensland. She then returned and went to other places, but was equally unsuccessful. Boarding with a decent married couple, being an expert needlewoman, she could always make sufficient money to live respectably, and save a little besides. William arrived in Auckland from Queensland, thence came on to the Thames. Seeing an advertisement announcing a share to be sold in a pretty good claim, and mounted to go and inspect it, the horse suddenly shying at a dog that ran out of a tent barking, threw him violently to the ground. He was picked up senseless and carried into the nearest house. Certainly, very sorious events occassionally spring from apparently trivial causes, or from their absence. It is Pascal who remarks —" If Cleopatra's nose had been a little shorter, the face of the world might have been changed." If that cur had not made the horse shy—. But I am anticipating events. The first sight that met William's eyes when consciousness returned was bis old lover Harriet bending over him. He had been carried into her house. And as the doctor assured her that he would be quite well in a day or two, almost the first question she asked him, rather timidly perhaps, was —" Are you married ?" Mutual explanations followed. The second courtship was a very short one; just about a week. And so it came to pass that one fine morning not long ago, when the sun shone brightly and heaven was cloudless, Harriet, the maid, wife, and widow, was married in the presence of a few intimate friends to the man whom she had so long and truly loved, and who, on his part, in the possession of wealth, and surrounded by the meretricious attractions of mining townships, had never for one moment ceased to love her. AValking on the beach with a friend a few days after the marriage—" Do you see," he said, pointing to the ocean, "that peaceful little craft? How she goes ! —all sail set; all in white." "Yes," I replied; "nil in white, dancing o'er the waves with her ball dress on." " Well," resumed my friend, " The newly-married couple are off in Iter on a honeymoon excursion. Vive L'Amour /" J. S.