THAT TELL-TALE RIBBON.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10175, 9 June 1911, Page 3

THAT TELL-TALE RIBBON.

A certain well-known but rather near-sighted and absent-minded bishop once went down to a place in the West of England to officiate at the marriage ceremony of a lady whose parents were amongst his oldest friends. He arrived the day before the wedding, but owing to the pressure of engagements he had to leave the same time as the bridal pair, but was driven to a different station. As he proceeded to take his place in the train, with the jwrter at his heels carrying his travelling-bag, ho became dimly conscious of the fact that he was creating a great sensation, but was entirely at a loss to account for it. Then, when he had taken a corner seat, lie could not help noticing that quite a number of people passed and repassed the window, stealthily glancing at him meanwhile. At last a porter came to look at the tickets, and he seemed hardly able to restrain his laughter. '' Whatever is the matter with you and all the people, my man?'' a.sked the bishop. 'They want to know," was the response, in West-country dialect, " 'ave 'ee been and left the lady behind, zur?" "'What?" exclaimed the astonished bishop. Then his eyes fell on the side of the bag which the porter turned round on the seat before him. There,' glued Lo it, was a wide strip' of white satin ribbon, on which was painted in large letters:— " Married this morning." One of the jocular guests at the wedding had mistaken the bishop's travelling-bag for that of the bridegroom !