WHY BRIDEGROOMS DISAPPEAR.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6132, 19 March 1898, Page 3

WHY BRIDEGROOMS DISAPPEAR.

iTit-Dits.) When it becomes tnown that a man has disappeared on the eve of hi& contemplated entry into the happy state of matrimony, people are naturally very curious as to the reasons for his absence, when he should be so conspicuous by his presence. That he is not always responsible for this, there'is more than one instance to show. Not long since a bridegroom was carried off at the instigation of a former lady-love and confined in durance vile until the dale fixed for his marriage with her more successful rival had come and gone. Of course, this high-handed proceeding tookplaco in America, where girls are evidently nofc disposed to allow their affections to be trifled with. At any rate, the damsel in question was bent on vindicating 1 her wounded feelings ; and, having her fickle swain once more m her clutches, she . did not intend him to again desert her. She therefore gave him the choice of two plans : he could either marry her forthwith or suffer such facial disfigurement that neither his fiancee nor any other girl would desire to become his bride. To show that she was in grim earnest, the modest maid produced the vitriol with which her alternative proposition was to be carried out ; and this so terrified her unwilling captive that he readily consented to make her his wife. A minister was accordingly called in, and the nuptial knot tied a week after the young man's mysterious disappeai'ance. A short time ago another hapless bridegroom was spirited away some twenty-four hours before tho time fixed for his marriage. He was a member of an aristocratic family, and his parents, finding they could not dissuade him from the serious step he was contemplating, finally decided to resort to oxtreme*"measures and prevent it. By sending him a message thafc his mother was dangerously ill, they succeeded in inducing him to hurry home to see her, and once there it was an easy matter to secure him in a room. He was afterwards conveyed under the watchful care of several relatives to a port whence a Bhip was sailing to one of the Colonies, and dispatched there in charge of an uncle to afford his ardour iin opportunity of cooling. For nearly eighteen months he had perforce to remain abroad, and in the meantime his intended bride, who was considerably his senior, as well as a designing adventuress, became the bride of a man in her own station of life. She was precluded from suing the missing lover by the fact that he was not of age, or she would doubtless have thus sought compensation for the frustration of ncr deep-laid matrimonial scheme. The prospect of having a couple of breach of promise suits to defend at the same time was the cause of a Lancashire lover's disappearance last year. He had loved, not wisely, but too many, and had somehow allowed himself to drift into eugagments to no fewer than three different damsels. Of course, he could not marry them all, and the two who found they were to be discarded gave him plainly to understand what he might expect if he really went so far as to jilt them. In this predicament, the too amorous swain scarcely knew what course to adopt; but, afterconsideriugthematter, he resolved to leave the country and not marry either of the three girls who claimed his hand and heart. This resolve he .ietly carried out, and departed for the United States, where it is hoped he was content to confine his attentions to one member of the sox called fair. Should he be so rash as to pay an early visit home, he may possibly find a trio of breach of promise suits awaiting him. The minions of the law can account for the sudden disappearance of some candidates for matrimonial honours. Now and again a young man is so ambitious and impatient to become a Benedict that he finds honesty too slow in furnishing him with the means of carrying out the scheme upon which he has set his heart. He consequently gives way to temptation, and adds to his resources by becoming a thief. It is not until his wrong- doing is dis- | covered, and he is in the custody of the | police, that he realises that honesty is the best policy even in matters matrimonial. A case of this kind was reported from Liverpool some time back, the culprit being a young man who had hitherto been regarded as above suspicion. The day before that fixed for his marriage, however, his employer accidently discovered serious defalcations in bis accounts, and late the same night he caused him to be arrested n a charge of embezzlement. Another bridegroom disappeared for a otttlly differentireason. He was engaged to a young lady who would, he believed, shortly inherit a substantial fortune ; and so eager was he to secure his prize that he wmed forward the arrangements for the wedding as much as possible. -Not until a day or two before that fixed ">r the ceremony did he discover that, so J"-«om being entitled to any property dmf r> the £ irl was absolutely dependent on her relations for support. This aISo ci ? gave him a dreadful shock, for, datt-rfv 80me ex te llfc enamoured of the reTMifnJ was stin more enamoured of her vS^ealth. And when this had conpW ' c Was not long in coming to the fo?a^° n - thatlie had better vanish too, to be tni c ? lifo without money was not Ho& tedforamom ent"«eretore demmmftd without a "word

to anybody, leaving his intended brideito place on his absence whatever construction she cho&e. . . , Very singular were the circumstances surrounding' the disappearance of a London bridegroom, which took place on his intended ■ wedding morn. He was much attached to his prospective bride, and when he failed to attend at the church at the appointed hour she was naturally greatly distressed. Messengers were hastily despatched in * search of him, but the only tidings that could be gleaned were to the effect° that he had gone out early in the morning and had not returned. After waiting some time in the vain hope that he would arrive, the wedding-party dispersed to their homes, extremely curious as to the cause of the bridegroom's nonappearance. An explanation of this was forthcoming next day, when it wa3 ascertained that he had proceeded to Euston and taken a ticket for ■ a northern town, where he was subsequently discovered aimlessly wanderiug about the streets, and evidently not in his right senses. It seouis that the excitemeub aud worry of his approaching marriage had seriously affected his reason, and it was several months before he was sufficiently recovered to permit of the wedding taking place.