ELOPING VICAR'S SHIPMATES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15269, 5 April 1913, Page 2 (Supplement)

ELOPING VICAR'S SH IPMATES.

FARMER AND ARTISAN'S WD7E. IBS >Rev. Albeit Rmght and his lady parishioner who recently landed in Melbourne were not the only eloping- couple pttthe Port Lincoln bound'for Anstralia. 7 : \iL^:.'m^e^n^)^ well-to-do. farmer, belonged to a good Gloncestersljira, stock, disappeared, from a hamlet near Cleave Hill. About the sajoo time the wife of an living near the farmer's homestead was also missing, i It; is now clear that 'the couple, taking with them the woman's left fpr : Anstraba in the.s.s. Port lincoln. The eloping farmer, a; ytioman, 64 year 3 of age, it appears, himself booked passages with a Gloucester shipping agent for himself, '* wife and child," and it was by casual inquiry of this gentleman -that the story cams to light. The conplo bo,came acquainted two years ago, when an old cottager, a neighbour of the farmer, fell ilk The farmer's wife telegraphed for the cottager's married daughter, who was residing., in Newcastle-on-Tyne.; She came and stayed with her parents, nerfenning the offices of a good daughter, but proving so attractive to the farmer that his attentions became a subject of comment in the bamletjtand he was to. task by his wife. His reply was to lock her out of the farmhouse, since which—-over a year agc~rshe ; has resided: with r; her married daughter m where the family are tfery well connected Generally when, iihe " cousin" came be sent the widow ?'out for dainties for her. tea. A few days before the "cousin" was "missing" par■ cols bega4 to arrive at the widow's pretty frequently for him. One of these happened to beso saturated by rain the widow, they were male; garments, opened it in order to hang them before the fire; To her sarpriee the. contents consisted of lady's lingerie. Wbils these were, drying the*farmer andlns "cousin" arrived, and | the cousin issaid _to have,been in a "rare \ sulk" at the; nustaken kindness of the ; homely landlady. This was a day or j two before the farmer disappeared. Be--1 fore leaving Gloucestißr the farmer placed ; his affairs; in the hands of a firm of land 1 agents. He owns a farm' and other proI perty from which he; draws a comfortable I income.: 'This, however, is likely to fee I diminished if his lawful wife, to whose • support be has not contributed for the years, takes action for maintenance or divorce. It- is stated that the " whom neighbour declare to be "at least 39," left behind her a number of tradesmen- to bemoan unpaid .accounts. The farmer, not long ago, was a chairman at tha wayside : chaneb of the hamlet near Cheltenham, where he and his family long resided and were held in high esteem. It may be added that some time ago the husband of the eloping woman left Newcastle in response- to an invitation to take up employment' on the farmer's land, where he has since worked.