A WEDDING HOAX.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 254, 24 October 1907, Page 4

A WEDDING HOAX.

Practical jokes on a large scale are happily becoming very rare nowadays, but a young bridegroom in Bermondsey has reason to remember that it is still possible to be victimised in this stupid and malicious fashion. He was to be married on Saturday last; it was to be a quiet wedding, and no invitations had been sent out. But the first post on Saturday brought a. number of letters in which the writers accepted with thanks an invitation to be present at the wedding. Hardly had the postman gone tuan another knock came at-the door,and on opening it the young man found an undertaker had come to measure his "deceased" mother-in-law-elect for a coffin. The undertaker had been sent by some person unknown on a bogus errand. He went away, and for about an hour the bridegroom was left in peace^ About half-past eight, however, a brewer's dray, laden with barrels of beer, drove up, and the drayman announced j that he had been sent to deliver the liquor for the wedding. Following almost immediately came tradesmen with vans and barrows laden with all kinds of goods, such as groceries, meat, fish, greengrocery, three pianos, coals, and churns of milk, the drivers all stating that the orders had been received for the festivities. A local doctor, a district nurse, a cornchandler, a fish porter from Billingsgate, men driving wedding carriages and chauffeurs with motor cars also followed. The distraction of the victim as he endeavoured to persuade his unwelcome visitors that the whole affair was a hoax was added to by the fact that in attending to them lie was unable to prepare himself for the wedding. Abbeystreet at this particular spot soon became impassable with waggons, carts, drays, and barrows, whilst hundreds of people—the news having been quickly spread—came in from all directions to join iv what apparently to them was a source of great amusement. Then there came the arrival from Billingsgate of a poTter with three bushels of winkles, which got upset in the excitement. Other callers included a traveller with flea powder, a man who came to take measurements for erecting a marquee capable of holding a party of fifty on the lawn, and a musician to complete arrangements for the programme of music to be played to the wedding party by a well-known band. The -police were called upon the scene, and eventually managed to get the place clear, but the day was well advanced before the last of the tradesmen had gone, and even after their departure the neighbourhood was thronged with people who had come to inspect the scene of the hoax. The result was that the wedding could not take place at all that day, and had to be postponed until the following morning.