AN ELOPEMENT STORY.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 3079, 9 April 1892, Page 1 (Supplement)

AN ELOPEMENT STORY.

A. Deptford correspondent (siys ihe London Star) vouches for this story: — Ouo of tho small and not over salubrious courts which abound in tho vicinity of High street, Deptford, has just been the scene of the denouement of a romance of the first wati*. Three mouths ago a couple of rooms in a dingy cottage wore taken by a middle-aged man and his daughter, a girl of about eighteen. Of the history of the new arrivals nothing was known in the district, and beyond the facts that the man's name was John M'Konna, that ho was out of employment, and latterly existed on the few shillings a week his daughter was able to earn at skirtmaking, nothing was discovered about him uutil a day or two ag«. Ai the bogiuuing of December the girl was seized with influenza. In a fort-night she was dead, and M'Keuua was left to shift for himself, with a mattress aud a dose of influenza as the sum total of his earthly possession*. Parish relief he declined to solicit, and though the old woman of the house, who was not much better off than himself, did all she could to alleviate his distress, death from starvation and disease combined loomed near. But when thirjifs were as bad as they well could be, a fashionably attired lady called at the house and inquired for M'Konna. On being ushered into his poverty-stricken ro>m, she fell on her knees beside tho sick man's bod. and exclaimed, " Oh, Jack, forgive mc !" During that night and the two succeding day* tho strange visiter nursed the patient with loving tenderness, aud al! that raonev could command was provided. Tho" devoted nursing, the proper remedies for his malady, aud the nourishing things got for him to restore his failing strength, between them had a beneficial effect, an I MeKoun i began to mend. Nstw omen in the pathetic cart of this remarkable story. His nurse, worn out by watching, at length hat self fell a victim to the influenza. She was removed to another house, and medical men gave her every attention. Pneumonia, however, that accompaniment of influenza, which is worse than the disease itself, supervened, and proved fatal last Mondiy, to the iutence grief of MeKenna. The fasbionably-dres-ed lady . was his erring but repentant wife. They were martied nearly twenty years a"0, McKenna being at that time in business in Hammersmith. Their married life appears to have been unhappy and the wife eloped willi a common friend. Amend was the country to which the runaways went. They experienced many vicissitules, and the man at last made up his mind to try his luck at the goldfielda io Lower California. Finally he and a few others obtained a concession to work a claim in Cacachilas, which proved to bo one of the richest districts in the Mexieau Republic, Their efforts were atteuded with phenomenal success, and each of them made a huge fortune. Last year Mrs K'Kenna's lover met with a fatal accident, whereupon she sold out bis interest in tho mine for £65,000, and returned to Eugland to try and fiud her first love. She traced M'Keuna after a weary search to his destitute abode in Deptford, aud the pair were completely reconciled. M'Kenna is a richer inau to day—richer at least, from a monetary view—by £62,000, his wife leaving him all her money