A Strange Marriage Story

Otago Witness, Issue 2309, 2 June 1898, Page 44

A Strange Marriage Story

Charles Waterton axd his Baby Bride. The story of the marriage of Charles Waterton, the Yorkshire squire, naturalist, and wanderer, is a very curious one. In the course of his early wanderings he visited the West Indies, and there " met his matrimonial fate." He formed a close and lasting friendship with a Scottish family of ancient descent— the Edmonstones of Cardross, Dumbartonshire — and a third daughter being oorn to AFr Edmonstone during the squire's visit, the singular idea entered his head of asking the child in marriage, should she attain the age of eighteen and give a willing conseiL to accept him as a husband ; but with the stipulation that she should be baptised a, Catholic, and brought up entirely according lo his own ideas of woman's education. The strange proposal accepted by M/ Edjuonslono, who entertained fcne sincereafc

esteem and admiration for his young friend ; and he replied that as far as he was concerned he should be only too glad to commit his child to so excellent a husband. But, he added, of course Mr Waterton would agree with him that his concurrence in the proposal was to be contingent on the wishes of the young lady herself, when tiie time came to give effect to it.

" Leave that to me," said the suitor, who probably never through life had any difficulty in winning the goodwill of man, woman, or child. There appears, at all events, to have arisen no difficulty in this case. v

The singular compact was duly carried out. Waterton married Miss Edmonstooe when she reached the age of eighteen, but after one year of married life she died J 'n childbirth, to his enduring sorrow. — Mrs P. M. Byrne.