LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 72, 26 March 1928, Page 8

LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT.

LIGHTNING COURTSHIP.

INTERRUPTED HONEYMOON.

BRIDEGROOM A STOWAWAY.

Met March 12. Married March 13 Adieu Honolulu, March 14.

In that sunny, northern land, caressed! by trade winds, where a lambent moon rides in a velvety sky, things move much more swiftly than in placid, picturesque Auckland. It was love at first sight for Basil Stanley, a broad-shouldered athletic American and his bride-to-be, a dainty dark-eyed little lady. It was love at a glance one day, the wedding the following day, and for the honeymoon a trip to New Zealand on the palatial Aorangi was planned.

"Two over," said a much-puzzled steward in the second-class of the lineT, when ho counted his section at the dinner table. The big ship was then nt sea, and Honolulu was well astern.

It was at this stage that the identity of the young honeymoon pair became known. In the investigations that followed it was found that neither had passports nor tickets, but the bridegroom managed to solvj the latter difficulty to a certain extent by paying one fare, which the Aorangi officials, with customary courtesy, placed to the lady's credit. Moreover, the honeymoon pair was relegated to the third class, where they remained for the rest of the trip, the romantic circumstances appealing strongly to other passengers vho had not sampled the delights of a lightning courtship. The sequel came after the Aorangi dropped anchor in Auckland harbour, when the police, as the result o notification by the chip's officers, went aboard to inquire whether anyone had :,i£S: f " r • <»•

1 a , ,b i t °, f Rouble over the pass poits, explained Mr. Stanley to a "Star' -rr tat,ve - Hc Maid ti,at he was wha< was known as a 'freshman coach," ami ho Produced a sheaf of testimonials from h ids of American universities in support of his statement. He added that the American colleges specialised in athletics and that his forte was tuition in the American game of football. I'll* visitor waxed enthusiastic on the topic, and explained that it waa an eleven men aside game, with seven of each team lined up in the front row. A touch down counted six points, a eonversion two, a field goal three, .nT» caught behind two points. The visitor mid that it was a game of strategy, and instead of such things as "cut-ins" and "swerves"—terms beloved in New Zeailaml Rugby journalese—there were •uch technicalities u "fake throng**." "ladders of pew," end "direct jrtungee-

Hard Row To Hoe.

As a credc..L!al Mt. Stanley produced a copy of the football review of the University of Notre Dame. There was his photograph, also the following intimation:— "

"Napoleon had a huge task, so did Attila. Even Jengis Khan had an uneasy task of it. But Basil Stan'ley has a problem equal to any of theirs, for while they had the big armies to control, Stanley has about eighty aspiring freshmen to mould into varsity prospects every year."

In the boxing line the visitor has some pretensions, with a ring-name of "Jack Nolan" and a poundage in the vicinity 1 of the 200 mark. He added that he also had some claims as a sprinter.

It was perhaps mention of athletics that 'brought Mrs. Stanley into the conversation at this stage, and it appeared that the adventurous bride at Honolulu had been an instructress at basket-ball, a sprinter with Olympic ambitions, and a tennis star.

The bride smiled coyly when the lightning courtship was mentioned, and it would have been indelicate to have sought further information—even for the reporter's future guidance—on the blissful subject of twin souls' meetings, which is such a favourite theme for spinster novelists with a penchant for explaining the mysterious thing called love.

"Too Dynamic."

For some reason or other Mr. Stanley has no desire to return to either the States nor "The Paradise of the Pacific," from whence he came. "I will never go back unless it is in a coffin," he declared. "They don't like me over there'. It's my personality. I'm too dynamic."

Mt. Stanley said that he had heard of New Zealand from a man named Smith, who gave his address as Wel-

lington, and had indicated that in the Dominion there were some good prospects in the real estate line.

"And when my husband said he was going, I decided to come too," said Mrs. Stanley.

The honeymoon voyagers posed for a "Star" photographer hear the stern of the Aorangi. Stanley, with tender solicitude, put his arm round his girl wife, who, radiant with smiles, surveyed the sparkling Waitemata.

Two pressmen—for them honeymoon .memories had long passed into the grey retrospect of yesterday—formed a sympatheic background. I

I The bridal pair will proceed with the •hip to Sydney, as the Auckland police 1. that it is not a case for taking any .action.