REAL LIFE MELODRAMA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13325, 3 November 1906, Page 2 (Supplement)

REAL LIFE MELODRAMA.

BRIDE SACRIFICES HERSELF FOR DESERTED GIRL. A -remarkable episode, worthy of a high place in the realm of drama,; has just,occurred in real life at Brooklyn, New York. A few days ago a notice appeared -that a. marriage between Mr. William Timber., of Newark, and Miss Mary Macdonald, an exceedingly pretty girl, would take place at the home of the bride's mother. The re-ception-rooms were beautifully, decorated with flowers, and the guests had assembled, the master of ceremonies being Mr. Griffin, Miss Macdonald's brother-in-law, who had ushered into the rear room a palefaced girl with a heavily-veiled woman, and • then hidden away in - a cosy recess. In the reception-room was Miss Macdonald, arrayed in her .wedding-gown and orange blossom's, weeping. Out in the diningroom was Mr. Timber,' laughing and joking : -,with ; a group 'of men. Suddenly Mr. Griffin whispered in his ear, and the bridegroom turned pale, whereupon Mr. Griffin exclaimed, " Face the music. Miss Macdonald is your bridesmaid, not your bride." "And I'm to-be best man," chimed in Mr. George Casey, a friend of the Macdonald family. The bride will be Miss Viola Glover, of Newark, New Jersey, the girl whom you betrayed and deserted three months ago." The curtains were brushed aside, Miss Glover stepped forward, arid Mr. Henry Arthur Jones' new. play, "The Hypocrites," rushes to no swifter or more thrilling conclusion, with Miss Macdonald occupying the centre of the, stage. With an arm round the waist of the New Jersey lady, the Brooklyn girl advanced a step, and said calmly: "Marry her; she doesn't want you. but she needs vour name." Many of the guests wept, and all of them surrounded Mr. Thober, who, says the Telegraph correspondent, stood open-mouthed, staring into space. He seemed to have no alternative but to do as he was told. In two minutes Viola Glover was Mrs. Thober. Everyone smothered both the bride and her maid of honour with kisses and tears. The wedding feast followed, but no bridegroom was there. Mrs. Macdonald was equal to the occasion. She handed Mr. Thober his hat, pointed to the street door, and opened it. "Go," she saiid, " and go quickly." He went, and has not been seen since." It appears that Miss Macdonald had heard how her fiance had jilted Miss Glover, and wan determined to compel him to behave like a gentleman. The next day's newspapers contained the following notice : — " Macdonald—Thober engagement. The marriage between Miss Mary Macdonald and Mr. William Thober is cancelled, owing to the bridegroom having a wife at Newark." ;.• Both girls are only 19 years old, and the bridegroom is 21." .. .