“COMEDY OF ERRORS”

Greymouth Evening Star, 28 April 1927, Page 9

“COMEDY OF ERRORS”

WIFE’S DOUBLE TAKEN HOME. In the belief that a woman who fainted in the street was his wife, MiHenry Gardner, a commercial traveller, of Friern Barnet, Middlesex, helped a policeman to put her in an ambulance, and took her to his own home. The first thing he saw when he reached home was his wife coming downstairs. The story, as told by Mr Gardner and his wife, shows some extraordinary coincidences. Miss Morgan, the woman who was taken to \Mr Gardner’s home, wore, of course) no wedding ring. Mrs Gardner, on account of an injured hand, had removed her wedding ring a few days ago. Mrs Gardner has been subject to fainting fits, and it, therefore, did not surprise her husband to find, as he believed, his wife in a state of collapse in the street. Both women have short hair; both are of the same rather frail build; and Miss Morgan wore clothes which closely resembled those of Mrs Gardner, Miss Morgan was wearing a brown hat which is an exact replica of Mrs Gardner’s. And Miss Morgan, so says the husband is the double of his wife.

“I was about five minutes distance from my house when I saw a woman collapse in the street,” Mr Gardner said. “I went to her help, and a policeman joined me. As soon as I saw the woman I was greatly upset, and cried out, ‘This is my wife. I stayed with her while the policeman ran for a doctor.

“It was night-time, but the officer flashed his lantern into the woman’s face, and I helped to pour cold water down her back to revive her. She was given a stimulant when the doctor came, and soon afterwards the ambulance arrived and I helped to lift her in..

“As sooh as we got to my house the policeman, the ambulance attendant and I carried her into the hall, and I called out to my little daughter, ‘I have brought your mother home ill.’

"Then, to my amazement, I saw my wife come downstairs. I looked again at the stretcher, and I really thought that some kind of conjuring trick had been performed. I thought my wife was a ghost, and I called out, ‘Good heavens, what are you doing? I have you on a stretcher here?’ I began to think that I must suddenly have gone mad'

“I heard the police-officer say, ‘They are very much dlike,’ but it was not until my wife began to ask me what it was all about that I realised I had made an extraordinary mistake.” Mrs Gardner then took up the story. "I really thought for a moment that my husbahd had suddenly become insane,” she continued. “I haid only a jjSssihg glance at the Woman as she lay on the stretcher, but I could see that she could easily have been mistaken by my husband, who is a little shdft-sighted for myself.”

As Miss Morgan did not recover conScioiisness until she reached the hospital, she knew nothing of her strange adventure.