ALL FOR LOVE OF A 'BUSDRIVER.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 16, 19 January 1901, Page 3 (Supplement)

ALL FOR LOVE OF A 'BUSDRIVER.

A ROMANCE OF LONDON ANT 3 AUSTRALIA.

According to a London evening "hafporth" with a reputation for veracity ■which. Ananias would have envied, there is now settled in Australia (such precision in localisation lends but little verisimilitude to the tale to come) a family containing a daughter named Alice, who, being worth £30,000, aetat '20, and good-looking into the bargain, has left £150 in the "hands of si London solicitor in order to enable the gentleman upon whom she has fired her maidenly affections to follow her out to the Antipodes for matrimonial purposes. The gentleman in question Is a. young fellow who drives a 'bus between tlie East and South of London, and 'tis he who has told the tale of his "bit o' luck" to a casual front seat rider. Here is the yarn, and yotl will all admit that some salt is required to take it for gospel:—

"Well, sir," replied Jehu, In response to a judicious "feeler" and between the puffs of a newly-bestowed cigar, "the fact Is, I'm going to be married. Hold up, there, you clumsy animal. I'ou see sic," grinning In anticipation at his own joke, "the old mare'S a bit excited—like all females when a wedding's coming off. Yes, I'm going td be hitched up, and what's more, to a lady with: £30,000 in her own right. Where did 1 meet her? Well, I didn't exactly meet her at all. She hopped on the 'bus one evening, and seats herself just where you are now. I could see she was a lady, every inch of her. Young? Yes; about.2o, and good-looking into the bargain. We entered, into conversation, and soon got quite chummy. She told me that, although her people kept their carriages, she liked a ride on a 'bus for a change, and was In the habit of going a different Journey every time. Not that she wanted to go anywhere particular, but just for the fun of the thing, like. Td make a long story short, she came a good many journeys with me, and we fell In love. One day sfce asked me to come and see her people at Kensington, and on one of my off-days I clobbered up and went. My word! Didn't her old father go on when she introduced me. What did he say? Oh, dear, what didn't he say! I did net stop long that time, I can tell ydti; tiut, after a while, Alice—that's her first name—■ fixed it up all right with the old chap. He ! wrote asking me to go and see1 him. I clobbered up again, find toddled down to the—what is it?—"residence of the bride's parents." Her father received me like the gentleman that ho is, said he only wished for his daughter's happiness, and wished us both luck. The family have how gone to settle in Australia, and Alice has'gone with them. In a week or two I give up driving, draw £100 left by my girl's folks in the hands of their solicitor for my expenses, and join Alice on the other skk> of tlie Water. Tbere we are to I>e rtiarried. Quite a romance, isn't it?" conceded tfl* light-hearted driver as he wished me goodnight. "Quite a romance?" Methinks it Is that, and nothing more. But strange things do occur in London, you know. A