SOMNAMBULISM EXTRAORDINARY.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2036, 14 July 1875, Page 2

SOMNAMBULISM EXTRAORDINARY.

The 'Melbourne correspondent bif 'iihe Ballarat Star tells the following story *:-i- '"' '•'•' T'' <• V - -•: -;•-- -i..''ln a.certain submrb not many miles from" Melbourne 'resided 'an ' amiable young lady, who for over four; ;j;ear* was assiduously wooed by a respectafcle tradesman. - Those consideration- of pelf which enter into all .human transacting - delayed the union until the favoureelWain could build a nestfor his bird. This was a short time ago nearly accomplished. A dottage was rented andthetrousseaupre- ,- pared, the bride elect'procuring about £18 worth ,of drapery upon, herjpetrpthed's instructions/and incurring other liabilities, on her own account. The bride* groom intended, had, according to his own "account, amassed abont £215,; but not liking to trust any of the Melbourne banks with'so large a sufn of, money, shared it between two institutions' which' he considered might be sufficiently solvent. - .Prior to the marriage he intended to . amalgamate these two accounts, so drew ' out the whole, and wrapped, up .the precious notes in a drawer, placing them' in the" bill for the £18. worth of soft goods, ordered at -.his request., Strangely enough, a somnambulistic fit, to which he asserts he is liable, seized the unhappy bridegroooMßh and he remembers only letting/himielf^ into his" lodgings at; 3 ai in./, .the,notes having during the currency of his trance disappeared, although the bill in which, they had been wrapped still remained a mute envelope of mystery. A reward of £50 was offered for the recovery;of tho missing money; but, curiously enough, the bride's parents, did^ not place . that absolute 'reliance;: '* upon the credibility of their intending \ son-in-law's story which' he .desired,--*4nd he indignantly told his bride's mother that if sho| doubted him^she could accompany him to his bankers and ascertain that the money had really been there. Dhe wise old lady, in her generation, accepted'this test, and the narrative walked with her into the .bibfc and made the necessary inquiries. He was informed that he never* had an account there, but that four years ago he had.deposited,£l Os 6d with its .fifeelong branch, which had subsequent been ' drawn out. Not unnaturally the family declined to ratify the nuptial covenant, and the unfortunate bride expectant mourns the loss of her lover, her situation,"'which she threw up to engage'"in matrimony, and is plus the debt' incurred for household drapery. ' The farnily-in their wrath talk- of legal proceedings to t recover some rortion-of-'the costs of these by action in the usual way, but as they ' appear to have broken off the match there will possibly be legal impediments to this course.-. Tho bridegroom intended was an attentive lover, is|in : good repute in his lodge and in the religious order to which he belonged, and whether .his sudden outbreak - of • somnambulism--;bc regarded as a. convenient thing for him it - is certainly difficult to conjecture what could have caused it."