ANOTHER "ENOCH ARDEN."

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20958, 22 August 1931, Page 3 (Supplement)

ANOTHER "ENOCH ARDEN."

" DEAD " SOLDIER REAPPEARS. VANISHES FOR WIFE'S SAKE. A pathetic " Enoch Arden " story comes from France. More than 16 years after being reported " killed in action " Alfred Allart, of the little town of Bavay, near Valenciennes, returned, found his wife happily remarried, and disappeared again so that he should not spoil her happiness. The poignant story of Allart's homocoming has seized popular imagination. The man only appeared for a few hours and no trace of him can now be found. It must be presumed that he had been suffering from loss of memory since-the end of the war.

Some years after receiving notification of Allart's death his wife remarried. His little daughter Lvdia, left behind in 1914, hits now grown up into a young woman.

Allart's first act on returning to the town was to enter the little cafe where in the old days he spent many an evening with his wife. By a curious coincidence she was there with her new husband, and she at once noticed him. As he sat near she. remarked, " If I didn't know my husband was dead I would swear you were Alfred."

Barely suppressing his emotion, Allart replied to the woman that she was certainly mistaken, and offered her a drink, which she accepted. Meanwhile the old servant at the cafe came up and remarked that the stranger was " the very image of Allart." Allart asked her to come to one side, and revealed his identity. " But don't tell my wife," he added; "what good would it do? She is happy." Allart then returned to his wife, who showed him some family photographs. At the sight of a recent picture of his daughter he burst inlo tears and then, fearful lest he should betray himself, hastily left the cafe, but wrote a letter to his daughter explaining who ho was and asking her to meet him at the railway station. The girl went next day, but Allart did not come, and has not since been seen or found. A Hurt's name is engraved on the side of the town war memorial, and in the cemetery lies a memorial tablet with a photograph and the inscription, " To our father, Alfred Allart, 81st Infantry Regiment. Died for France. Missing since November, 1914. Aged 33 years."