AN ABSENT-MINDED BRIDEGROOM

Evening Post, Volume LXIII, Issue 87, 12 April 1902, Page 2 (Supplement)

AN ABSENT-MINDED BRIDEGROOM

A certain amount of absent-mindedness is excusable in a bridegroom on the eve of matrimony, but it is not often that a bride receives her gifts from her future husband via Scotland Yarfl. This has (says a contemporary) just been the experience of Lady Helen Stewart, the Marquis of Londonderry's daughter, who marries Lord Stavordnle, son of the Earl of Ilchestor to-morrow. On -Monday night the happy young aristocrat drove from Hollaud' House \o Londonderry Hoube in a cab, taking with hhn a parcel containing ten wedding presents to tho bride, his oavu gifts among them. The costly jeAvels, diamonds, rubies, and turquoises Avere Avorth some thousands of pounds. In his haste to jgreet h's betrothed, the noble lord skipped off, leaving the package in tho cab. Cabby droA'e smartly away, and in a foAV moments there folloAved consternation. The police Avere communicated with, cnbs in tho street were searched, but tho missing gifts could not be traced. The next' day, however, Scotland Yard Avas able to deliver safely the jewels, to the happiness of all concerned, cabby included, who is entitled to a "hansom" percentage of the A r alue of the articles, which in this case should prove a nice little nest-egg for him. Cabby, it appears in this instance, discovered the parcel on his return to his stand at Ntftinghill, and Was just examining the outside when he henfd a whistle. In his haste to secure another fare, he snatched the noae-bag from his horse's head, stuffed the precious package into it) and left the "bag nnd its contents dangling from his dickey until ho got home. Then he opened the parcel to examine the contents with his wife, and was staggered to find the costly gems and to realise* what a narrow escape they had had. Naturally he posted off Avith his treasure-trove to Scotland Yard, congratulating himself on the absentmindedness of bis faro which had 1 brought him such a handsome Atindfall. It is a wise system which makes honesty clearly the best policy.