PEOPLE WHO ELOPE

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 3714, 12 October 1926, Page 2

PEOPLE WHO ELOPE

ACROSS THE ATLANTIC MANY RUNAWAY COUPLES In the palmy days of Gretna Green the hearts of runaway lovers leaped with joy when they crossed the border. Now the boundary of bliss is often the gangway of an Atlantic, liner. There is a steady stream of elopers to ports for the “ Pool,” and many are the love dramas enacted at them. So says a writer in the London ' Daily Chronicle.’

One day a runaway couple—-an elderly man, accompanied by a fashion-ably-dressed woman about twenty years his junior—reached Liverpool landing stage with a large quantity of baggage. Just as they were embarking on an Atlantic liner on which the man had booked passages a youth dashed up in a taxi, jumped out, and rushed toward them, crying, “Father!” With tears streaming down his cheeks, he begged the man to return home.

The man, who was much embarrassed, shook his head. But son still pleaded with him, and followed him and the woman up the gangway. The result was that ultimately all three, after having tea together, went back to town in the Midlands.

More tragic was another incident at Southampton. A naval pensioner once reached that port in search of his wife, who had run away with the lodger, a very much younger man than he. Finding that a couple answering the description he gave had booked for America, tlie police took the wronged man on board the liner on which they had secured passages, and they proved to be i the runaways of whom he was in quest. As soon as the husband caught sight lof them—the man with his arm round her waist, she as radiant as a girl at her first ball—be nearly collapsed, and it was with deep emotion that he implored ' iier to return. Her only answer was to nestle closer to her lover, and when the steamer cast off she was all smiles, and gaily waved her handkerchief to her heart-broken husband on the quay. ON THE “WANTED” LIST.

! A dramatic sequel to an American | elopement liappened at Liverpool. A woman in New York inherited a large sum, which appealed so strongly to one of her men friends that he deserted his wife and family and ran away with her. After visiting numerous places on the Continent and spending money freely everywhere, they reached LivcrI pool,' where they made a lengthy stay, i One morning the woman, on waking, i missed £9O which she had placed under ' her pillow the previous night. Clone, too, was her companion, who had left with all his own belongings as well as her cash, and she telt sure that he, l with his spoil, would soon be on his 1 way to New York. So on the following ! day she went down to the landing stage to witness the departure of a trans--1 Atlantic liner. i As it began its long journey she bc- | came so obsessed with the idea that her i false partner was on it that when it was : about 40yds or 50yds from the stage she | threw herself into the Mersey. She was I promptly rescued and taken home, [ where she told her story. As a result, ' the name of her lover was added to the ! “wanted” list. A few days afterwards a detective, while scrutinising the passengers embarking on a liner, suspected that one of them was the despicable rascal who had stolen the ' £9O. He questioned the man, but Ins account of himself was so satisfactory that the watcher came to the conclusion I that he was mistaken. 1 When, however, the suspect was moving away the detective noticed a j little mark on his right hand corresponding to one included in the desenpi tion of the tliiet. It was only a trine, t but it was enough. He was taken off 'the boat, and after he had been ideuciI bed by ’his dupe the police got his ticket transferred to her. So she rej turned to America, leaving him | stranded in England. < elopement and disappointment. I Such duplicity is unfortunately not uncommon. -Exceptionally short was an ! elopement from a Queen’s County village. A couple fled from it with the intention of settling in America. W hen they arrived at Cork the woman suggested that they should, he married at once, hut the man demurred, and ultimately left his companion at the railway station, taking with him a satchel containing £25 and promising to return shortly. He then made off, and hooked a steerage passage to Now York, only, however, to fall into the hands ol the police as he was boarding an Atlantic 1 liner. Nor is playing false entirely onesided. Some years ago an elderly man left Liverpool with a notorious “ocean tramp in petticoats,” one ol those female pests of the Atlantic service, who, at host, arc either prolossional borrowers or expert thieves. On the billowing day the man’s wife turned up, bringing a letter in which her faithless ( partner announced that he had lound his true affinity, and that lie was about to leave Liverpool, to make a tresh homo in the New World. “ Well.” said an official to whom she showed the farewell epistle. “it he thinks he's got a capturehe's made the mistake <>l his lite. It s the other wav about, and. for my part. I pity

him.” .. A man and Ids wile. aviUi their inlaid child, sailed from Liverpool for Xew York, whores they lived in apartments for n short lime. Tiio husband eventually left his wife, and took passages for liimselt and an American wirninn on a lunneward-hound liner.

DKSKKTKI) WIT ITS FAST HACK. When the deserted woman discovered pluit her husband had eloped, she promptlv sold all the portable, property she could spare, and, embarking*on a fast boat, followed in the wake the runaways, who were on an older and slower liner. So she overtook and passed them. When. then, the guilty couple were about lo disembark there suddenly appeared be ions them the woman whom they left behind in New A ork! I hey were staggered, hut she was perfectly calm, and took command of both oi them, loading the way down the gangway,' ami calling to her husband. “Como along, and bring her.” “ i 5„t —but",” protested the crestfallen man. “her mother’s tome with n£ y> “ Well, bring her too.” said the resolute woman, sternly; and thereupon, with her eyes fixed straight ahead and carrving 'her child, she conducted tin* trio up town lo lodging* wni'li she had previously secured. *!>■'} Vhe tangle was sorvxl oiy - /.