MATRIMONIAL JOT.

Observer, Volume 4, Issue 99, 5 August 1882, Page 323

MATRIMONIAL JOT.

Perhaps few men hare had. a more singular matrimonial experience than Samuel Joy, a grizzled, weather-beaten bushrrian of sixty summers, arrested last week on., a charge of bigamy. In 1858 he was married at Taupiri to a half-caste girl, who twenty minutes after the ceremony appeared to be of opinion that it was possible to have too much of Joy, and eloped with a Maori to the King country. " Hope told a flattering tale that Joy would ne'er return," so the frail, if not fair, half-caste settled steadily down to the work of rearing up a family, being now the (?) Joyful mother of fourteen whiteybrown "kids." The phrase "the bride of an hour " is a familiar one with fiction writers, but "the bridegroom of twenty minutes" has an awkward and depressing sound about it. Samuel seems to have rested on his bai*ren conquest for twenty-four years, though it can scarcely be said, to use a common legal phrase, he slept upon his rights, when at the beginning of the present year he was in an evil hour tempted to hare another dart at the matrimonial lucky-bag, in the hope of securing a prize in lieu of his former blank. As fortune would have it, an experienced widow, Julia Pramley, fell across his path, who was, like all humanity, in quest of Joy ; and the units coalesced. No. 2in her turn, like No. 1, seemed to consider that, as Young says, " Joys are for the gods," not for frail and feeble woman, and retired from the nuptial couch for Auckland, where it is stated she now resides, and has put the law in motion. Samuel was charged some time ago with obtaining goods on false pretences, and acquitted ; but Julia says, so far as site is concerned, he is fairly open to a similar charge. History repeats itself, and Dickens' injunction, " Samivel, beware of vidders," has again received confirmation strong as Holy Writ. " A mither, but nae wife," describes a very sad condition of things, but " a bridegroom of twenty minutes " is a consummation not devoutly to be wished. But the hoaryheaded sinner must just draw such consolation as is afforded by the couplet of Suckling — Joy never feasts so high As when the first course is of misery.