HEIRESS WEDS RAILWAY PORTER.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9403, 25 March 1909, Page 7

HEIRESS WEDS RAILWAY PORTER.

WARD IN CHANCERY. A love story which comes from Shropghsire reads like a chapter from one of Fielding's most famous works, even to the name of hero. Tom Jones, a young railway porter, son of a house decorator, residing at Pant, four miles from Oswestry, has secretly, wedded Miss Evelyn Dorothy Hopton, a charming young ’ady who is repp ted to be heiress !d some £IO,OOO. The young lady, who, like her husband, is only nineteen, has been residing at Pant with her mother, with whom she came from some four or five years ago. Her father, a retired British officer, who, is at present big game shooting in Uganda, is a Protestant. while her mother is a Roman Catholic. The father, in 1903, during ■ a brief visit to England took steps to make uis daughter a ward in Chancery. Two years ago the young lady says she was sent to a Roman Catholic convent at Brussels. Being a bright cheery girl she disliked the quiet of the seminary, and in lass than two months she returned. Five months ago she struck up an acquaintance with young Jones, and as her mother was arranging, she says, to send her .to another convent abroad she decided to get married. So one day Miss Hopton asked her mother in'a casual sort of way it she might marry. The mother thoughtlessly answered, “Yes, if you can find anyone to have yon.” To a similar question, put by the young man to his father, the latter replied, “You can get married twice over ' if yon like.” The young people took the parents at their word. Aroh- - -deacon Wynne Jones, to whom they applied, granted a special license, and the marriage tqok place In the porter’s “dinner hour” at Morton Parish Church, the vicar, the Rev. ■O,-JR.; Garnett Botfield, officiating. The ceremony was witnessed by the bridegroom’s sister and by an Oswestry birdfanoier. MOTHER ASTOUNDED. After the service the couple parted, Jonei returning to his official duties, while young Mrs Jones, returned to her home to break the news of her marriage • to her mother. At first Mrs Hopton refused to believe her daughter’s statement, but the girl showed her the wedding ring. This convinced her. When she nad recovered from her surprise Mrs Hopton at once sent a telegram with the news to the family solicitor in Liverpool, and despatched a messenger to Welshpool to a Catholic priest. When the priest arrived the girl -Tisrsalf admitted him and then left the house and rejoined her husband. She has not seen her mother since. The young couple moved to some furnished quarters. The priest and family solicitor had had an interview with young Jones, _ and he was asked to leave the district until ha became of age, meanwhile letting his young wife rteurn to her mother. But the young couple will not hear of this. Young Mrs Jones seems quite happy with liar position, and says ' she requiies no other society than that of her husband. “I was christened in a Protestant Church,” she remarked, “and baptised in a Roman Catholic Church, and I returned to a Protestant Church to gat married.” The young railway porter, interviewed, was asked whether he was aware that his wife was a ward in Chancery. He replied “So I suppose. I did not know that until after we were married. The solicitor who came from .Liverpool and had an interview with me was the first to tell me that. He told me I would get two years, but I pointed out to him that our ages were correctly given on the marriage lines. My wile was a Catholic, but she is now a Protestant. Wo did not start courting until four months ago.” . A WARD IN CHANCERY. “Did she get her mother’s consent to the marriage?”—“Oh. yes. She asked her mother, and her mother told her she could marry whom she liked. She has a witness to that. The servant was near at hand at the time, and overheard it. “When my wife went home and told her mother of the marriage Mrs Hopton was furious. My wife came away in the Evening, and she has not been back since. We had the wedding breakfast in My wife got the license from Archdeacon Wynne Jones at Oswestry. When he was told how we got the consent he said that was sufficient. I understand that your wife is heiress to a fortune of nine or ten thouand pounds. Is that so?”—‘l‘t is nnknown’to me.” “I believe,” said

the young lady later to the repre / seatative, “that I am entitled to some money, but I know no more than that.” Mrs Hopton, who’ seemed thoroughly distressed over the marriage, resolutely refused to make any state- j ment on the subject. The girl, she j said, belonged to some of the best county families in England. Asked if she had give her consent to the marriage, Mrs Hopton said, “I decline to discuss the matter,’ Mrs Hopton added that there had been no suggestion of sending her daughter : back to the Brussels convent. She had been “out,” and had been attending balls and other social functions. Asked what were young Mrs Jones expectations, Mrs nopton replied, nothing.” Mrp Hopton added that as her daughter was a ward in Chancery, her (Mrs Hopfcon’s) consent to the marriage should have been obtained. Further developments were hinted at.