MAGNICENT MARRIAGE OF AN ENGLISH DUKE.

Inangahua Times, Volume V, Issue 38, 20 March 1878, Page 2

MAGNICENT MARRIAGE OF AN ENGLISH DUKE.

The mnrringe of the Dulto of Norfolk to Ludy Flora- Hastings nt tho Brompton Oratory,,, on fcho 21st jNovombor, was ti most magnificent nfl'nir. Tho- wedding, in tho first plnro, nttrnoted unsunl interest, wliich arose moro from tho position of tho Howards a» lny bends of the Oiitholic Church, in England,, thnn from tho bride- . groom's' groft't runic in tho peerage, in whioh ho stands, ns Premier li)uke, next to tho blood foynl, nnd which ndds to one dukedom, three onrldomo, nnd 1 four bhronics, tho titles of Earl ATnrsh.nl mid Hereditary Marshal of England. At ' hMfpnst ninn iho cltufch of the Oratory wns well iilledi. Tho 'Duke' of Bedford wns nrnong the earliest of the nrititncrncy to enter iho church, and wns shown to his seat by tho Marquis of Buto nnd Lord Howard, son of Hownrtlof Gionnop, .oousin to the groom, who noU'di ns , ushers. At ten minufrnto eleven, tho IPrinoens Louise, Qtu'uMi Victoria's fourth dnughti'r ni?rived, noeompaniod l>y her Itusbnnd, the Marquis of . Lome, heir to tho Dukedom of , ATRyIK" Tlio" Prinoess looked' voiy protty, and'^vrorA- trtlrvKs of jjre&lV Velvet, with r pelp bluo ovordros^, nnd Kuboiis lint nnd foathors. Tho nssrmMy rose ns shn entored, and remained standing until slid wns Moated in n ousltioncd nrmchnir immodinloly in ilio renr of tho bride. Illustrating mildly tho" pennlty of not being a (xormniv })uko when bent on marrying nn English Princess tho Mnrquisof Lorno took n> Kcati i«i tho roar of hi» royixl blooded wife. l?ivo minutes Inter thoro wns n rusfcl nnd> n stir, nnd tho company roso ngnin. Tho historic flcuro of Benjamin Disrwcli, Knrl oC BcnconsUcld, nnd Fromior of Knglflnd, wtw seen moving down the aisle. Tlw old Htntesmnn camo fcobly in, leaning upon his citno, nnd' wrapped in> a heavy, furred coat. Ho wns sontcd nenr Iho IVmcuss, ' nnd romainod during tho entiro service' motionless ns a statue. It must hnvo furmshod him' with strnngoly ,«uggeslivi! thougUtß. , •'•;.: Mcnniimo tho prelates nnd priests had 'entered from tho sacristy nnd stood ranged upon tho a lUr slopjw Tho throo bishops of Sauthwnrk, Nottiirgham, nnd Port •. , Jjouis, onmo first; then enmo the plonfiignori~firßt, Mgr. Weld, with Ihe fnee ol'n mndicovnl nnehorite, mvintimnto 'friend of tho Duko ; second Mgr. Tnlhot, a finion of ono of tho oldost houses of Englntid.' lhen nil eyes tnrnod ns the fnmi Uii Mgr. Capol, with stately, imperial stop a nunof mussivo intolloctual features, nnd tho most oolobrntod ohurohmun in Knglnnd, rnovod to his place. , Tlio bridegroom is a slightly-built young man of thirty i-ycnrs, swarthy, bonrdnd, nnd of pleasant tbatnros, modern mnnnors, nnct nn nimogt flhombling gnit. ilo was dressod in n dnrk bluo cont? and larondar pantaloons nnd woro a light bluo ornvftt. Tho brido appeared ono mans of Inco nnd jbwels ns eho lennod upon tho arm of her fnthnr, Mr Abnor Hastings: Tl?o brido , is half a liend taller than tho bridogroom. She hasplcnsant, olenr-cut fonturcs, and n stately manner. Behind 1 tho brido floated up th> nislo twelve noblo "aiul bonutiful bridbijmnids dressed all nliko i|i ivory poult do soio draped with ivory broohe, nnd •picked out with bits of cardinal rod. Eaoh 1 "carried n bouquet.. t4 , . '* When tho procession* ronohfcd tho nltoir :tho Dulio nrosoj nnd taking his bridb by tho hand, led hop tohis sido boforo tho altar rail, whoro bofeh knelt, while tho priests woro robing tho Bishop for tho ooromony— his Eminonoo tho Cardinal being absent in Home. The bridesmaids npw formed in a somi-oirolo round tho brido and groom, • Tho scono was singular nnd captivnting. So much youth, grnco, nnd, beauty jn> ono group would bo rnro to-

see. The .ibimmcrinf,' whifo of tho bcidesn»aid»' robes, tho varied colon of the flowers they bore, the «liti.-r <«!' diumonds on whilo Ihrn.'its, mid uinid th« tresses of wonderfully woven hair. The rich «old.-n uohcaoftlio priestly oelehrnnts, und the kneeling figures of th« brido nnd bridepvoom mude up n 'jjorgeotw picture, lull of varied color. Tho lnnrrinßtf ceremony h.vviriff boon porl'ornted, tho bridal pnrty proceeded io Orosveiior- street, tho hride'ij home, for luncheon ;. after which tin) hnppy pair set out for Arundel Cnstle, the homo of tho Howards for four hundred yenrs. At Iho Victoria Kail way Station tho platform was covorcd wilh n ciimsou carpet, nnd 1 \tnfting for the (>' i l>d pnrly wore 11 company ot'fiirls and nuns from the eonven', of which tlio brido is p«lroncsß. They hnd come nhcud of time, nnd n» Iho cold November wind swept through- tho high nrehed depot, tho nuns and their ohnrgo shivered wild cold. Tho bridnl pnrty, however, wns punctual, and the fnecs of all lit. up m ihoy suw their hnppy pntroness approach. The bride seemed, indeed, linppy as she kissed oach of the f;ood patient Sisters in turn, nnd .smiled affectionately on everybody. She. wore, a bluo velvet dress, with a lons train, and a Roubcna hot,, with a white IViUher. Tho tram starlod nt twonty-ii'-vo minutes past two p.m. to Arundel, in the souMivroat of Sussex, fifty-eight miles Irom liondon,