A WEDDING THAT WASN'T

NZ Truth, Issue 817, 9 July 1921, Page 8

A WEDDING THAT WASN'T

The Nebulous Nuptials of a Naughty Nurse V.C.~-Victoria Cross or Vainglorious Concoctions? The mere mention of wedding bells at a certain Wellesley-stveet board-ing-house m Auckland is a sore topic, but a good joke is always appreciated even by those whom it is put across, and they may not take exception to I "Truth" letting the "cat out of the bag." Some nine months ago there arrived m New Zealand a young woman with the long distance name of Rose May Victoria Bassett, and m due course the lady In question was installed at Wellesley House, a board-ing-house presided over by a Mr. and Mrs. Leydon. Very early Miss Bassett allowed it to be known that m the great war she had done her duty as a nurse, and amongst other little trifles she earned was a V.C. Naturally Nurse Bassett, V.C, gave quite a lot of tone to the house, and when she showed a mark on one arm, which she intimated was caused by . shrapnel, her fellow boarders naturally regarded her as a rival to Nurse Cavell. But you can never judge a book by ' Its cover, or an egg by the shell, and this little fact was brought home with a thud to "Nurse" Bassett's circle of friends. It -was not surprising that' a Red Cross heroine and a V.C. winner should receive some attention from a lovely bloke like "Mr. C."— not of vaudeville fame — and when she let it slip tl.it she was going TO DO THE WEDDING GLIDE with him at the Pitt- street Methodist Church, great preparations were begun for "The Day." The afternoon of June 22 was selected as an opportune time to make the Methody minister buzz .a bit, and on the eve of the great event a nice little spread was provided fofr those fellow boarders who wished the "Nuss" long life, happiness, health and prosperity. The proprietors of the house rose to the occasion and had hubby's car decorated m real Red Cross style., [t was going to be some wedding — sure! It so happened that at Wellesley house was also staying- a Nurse Grigg, but she was merely the ordinary garden variety and could not boast of a V.C. June 22 duly arrived and everything- had passed so well and smoothly that it cam<? as a shock when Nurse Grigg was called to the 'phona. The speaker said it was Nurse Wheeler speaking, and she regretted to say •that Nurse Bnsaett had met with an Occident and_was then m the hospital suffering with probably either a broken arm or lesr. Nobody would be allowed to soe h<?r for an hour, so would Nurse On" ere: «sk Mrs. I>.y<]on.to STOP THE ARRANOFMENTS for the wedding. An hour 1 or so later there was another ring, this time for Mrs. Leydon. It was Nurse 'Bassntt speaking. She had had her Injuries attei.cle'd to and would be grateful if Mrs. Leydon would drive up m the mo-car and pick her up at Grafton Bridge. Of course Mrs. Leydon would be only too pleased, and the good lady together with Nurse Grigg, hurried to the Bridge, where* they were met by Nurse Bassett. The latter had an arm bandaged and mentioned that (there was a similar wrapping on one of her legs. Without delay she. was taken to Wellesley House and placed m bed. where she received many expressions of sympathy from her frlenrt9. She also mentioned th;tt In the nwldont she losf a "tennar" which she hud drawn out of thf Ivtak. The sad slory wns ononjrh to brine; tears to the nyes on Sir Geore-p Grey's statue, but just when everyone was showering- their .sympathy upon the "Nuss," a little bird blew into the detectiv.p office and began chirruping to* Det. McHugti.- The .chirrup appeaipr"to him, so he blew along to Wpllpslcv r-Tonse. to hove a word with Nurse Bstflsett. V.C. Anfl thoh fh* llttlo game was U.P.-up. The "Nubs" ** WAS NOT A V.C. at all, and she wasn't going to be married to "Mr. C," In fact, "Mr. C." did not know anything about it. she hadn't met with an accident and so far from losing a "tenner." she didn't have one, and had no money m the bank. She had been having a Joke, but it had gone a bit. far. and the whole story, was a "fairy." On the morning of the "wedding" she had purchased the bandages at Gallagher's chemist's Ehop m Symonds-street, and ithe?i j went to a "ladies' cloak room" m Queen-s treet, where she had bound up her right arm and' left leg- She had then gone to . a slot machine and-' 'phoned Nurse Grffrg- of the "accident." and subsequently Mrs. Leydon for the car. No arrangements- had been made' for the wedding, not even a license having been secured. All these facts were learned by Det. McHugh, who tumbled that there was something fishy about the affair when he took the bandage off "Nuss" Bassett's- er-arm, leaving Nurse Grigg to remove the other bandage. That night Rose Mary Victoria Bassett, "V.C," disappeared from Wellesley House, and forgot to mention her new address.