THe Course of Ture Lobe Neber did Run Smooth,

Tuapeka Times, Volume VI, Issue 276, 15 May 1873, Page 7

THe Course of Ture Lobe Neber did Run Smooth,

Recently was married in the vicinity of Auckland a very charming person, wtio united in herself that singular trio, jmcta in uno, that terrestrial unity of maid, wife, and widow. Young, not out of her teens, with golden hair, eyes sparkling like diamonds, a slightly aquiline nose, lips of rose-buds, and a graceful figure, Harriet B about three years ago took by storm the hearts of all the young men on the diggings. Her father kept a general store, and she, being well educated, was his book-keeper. Business flowed in upon him ; he was amassing wealth rapidly. Numerous were the offers of marriage his daughter received, but she rejected all of them — all of them but one. She had given her heart to a fine, manly young fellow, who had a share in a moderately paying quartz claim, S who adored her, and who had once shown some little kindness to her I father when he much needed it. The ! lovers kept their engagement a secret. Harriet was not in a very great hurry to get married. She was quite content to wait until William had saved money enough out of the claim to buy and stock a little Btore for himself. Besides, the period of courtship and engagement, if not too long, is very much prized by some women. It is then that their lover's attentions are most chivalrous and delicate. Amongst those who pestered Harriet with offers of marriage was Jack H., reputed to be one of the wealthiest quartz-reefers in the district. Past middle age, addicted to the bottle, of a plethoric habit, and an ardent admirer of what he called the un-fair sex, he no sooner saw Harriet than he fell in love with her, and such was his pertinacity that the most decided rejections of his proposals could not make him abandon his suit. He quietly bided his time. He had seen a good deal of the ups and downs of the world. Her father, reasoned Jack, may wake up some fine morning and find himself penniless — ann then ? Well, when misfortunes come they come in battalions, In an evil hour Harriet's father was tempted to speculate heavily in what were apparently promising quartz claims. They proyed, however, eventually to be what is called " blows on the surface," turning out unmitigated duffers. As expensive machinery had been erected, and the companies unfortunately had not been placed under the Limited Liability Act, the old man, as most of his co-shareholders were rather poor, suddenly found himself called upon to pay off all the debts, amounting for steam machinery alone on two of the claims to about £4,000. He raised all the ready money he could, paid off a portion of the liabilities, and staved off the evil day by giving bills for the balance at two months. During this time William made every exertion to raise money or dispose of his shares, but a panic had seized on speculators, and the price offered him would not have sufficed to liquidate a tithe of the old man's liabilities. Jack H. quietly persevered in his attentions, drank as much as ever, and made money at everything he took in hand. It was the evening prior to the maturity of the bills. William and Harriet met sadly, and, after walking about a little, sat down under a fine old tree in a quiet spot not far from the store. She was trembling excessively, and evidently making violent efforts to command her feelings. William ventured to press his lips to hers. Strange as it may seem, it was the first kiss of love. " The first and the last," said Harriet, starting to her feet, pale, tearless, her agitation gone, her feelings under control. All fasinating as she was, she had never looked so eminently beautiful as when she thus stood as it were for sacrifice, " Listen," she said to William, placing her hand on his arm, " vre love each other dearly. I respect and love you more than tongue can express. It would be for me supreme joy to be your wife, to lay down my life if necessary to promote your happineßs." " And I would sacrifice mine a hundred times for your sake," replied William. " I believe it," she answered ; " but to-morrow my father may be a bankrupt. He cannot meet the bills. He is getting old. His heart is breaking. My mother, you know, is a confirmed invalid, requiring the most delicate care and attention. The state of my father's affairs affects her terribly. I fear the worst. There is but one way (her voice trembled slightly) to render my parents happy. Jack H. called last night, offered to pay off all my father's debts, and lend him besides i any money he needed if I would — " " Marry him," said William. " Yes," replied the poor girl, again trembling. "And your- reply was — " resumed William. "My love !" said Harriet, putting a little ring on William's finger, "keep this for my sake, and think of me, not harshly, sometimes." She burst into tears, and not daring to look her lover in the face, sprang from his side and fled into her father's house. William-, half stupified with surprise and grief, called on her next day, but was received with studied coldness. The father looked ten years younger. Unwilling to brave the derisive pity of his comrades, the poor young fellow immediately sold his share for almost a song, and started for < the West Coast, where fortune favored him ; thence going to Queensland, he was again lucky in getting into a capital quartz claim, and having

sold his interest for a good round sum, he returned to New Zealand. During his wanderings, although he had either enquired for nor heard of Harriet, he could not forget her. Her image was indelibly stamped on his heart. About three months after he had left, a large wedding party, just returned from church, was assembled at the house of Harriet's father: The bride looked beautiful, but pale and thin. The bridegroom. Jack H., was almost wild with delight and drink. Champagne flowed like water, and Jack drank freely. The bride took but little notice of him ; he might drink as much as he pleased, He was accustomed to it, she said. Certainly women are pitiless towards those whom they do not love. Late in the evening, when, all the guests, with the exception of a couple of old friends, had left, Jack uncorked a bottle of brandy to take a last parting glass. He had been talking a little wildly, and there was noticed a strange expression in his eyes. Scarcely had he swallowed a bumper when he fell heavily on the floor. His friends lifted him up, and were alarmed to find him senseless and breathing with great difficulty. A doctor was sent for. Jack had been seized with a fit of apoplexy, and, in spite of the doctor's exertions, before morning the poor fellow was a corpse. Immediately after the funeral, Harriet called on Jack's executors, and handed them all the bridal presents he had forced her to accept. She attended assiduously upon her mother until the old lady, in about six months, died. Shortly after, having carefully ascertained that her father's affairs were in good order, she sold a little jewellery of her own, and sailed for the Thames. Quietly, on landing, she made every enquiry for vVilliam, but could hear nothing of him. He bad about that time left for Queensland. She then returned and went to other places, but was equally unsuccessful. Boarding with a decent married couple, being an expert needlewoman, she could always make sufficient money to live respectably, and save a little besides. William arrived in Auckland from Queensland, thence came on to the Thames. Seeing an advertisement announcing a share to be sold in a pretty good claim, and, mounted to go and inspect it, the horse shying at a dog that ran out of a tent barking threw him violently to the ground. He was picked up senseless and carried into the nearest house. Certainly very serious events occasionally spring from apparently trivial causes, or from their absence. It is Pascal who remarks, " If Cleopatra's nose had been a little shorter, the face of the world might ( have been changed." If that cur had not made the horse shy . But I i am anticipating events. The first sight that met William's eyes when consciousness returned was his old sweetheart Harriet beading over him. He had been carried into her house. And as the doctor assured her that his injuries were not serious and that he would be quite well in a day or two, almost the first question Bhe asked him, rather timidly, was — " Are you married ?" Mutual explanations followed. The second courtship was a very short one ; just about a week. And so it came to pass that one fine morning not long ago, when the sun shone brightly and heaven was cloudless, Harriet, the maid, wife, and widow, was married in the presence of a few intimate friends to the man whom she had so long and truly loved, and who, on his part, in the possession of wealth, and surrounded by the meretricious attractions of mining townships, had never for one moment ceased to love her. Walking on the beach with a friend a few days after the marriage. — " Do you see," he said, pointing to the ocean, "that peaceful little craft ? How she goes ! — all sail set ; all in white." "Yes," I replied; "all in white, dancing o'er the waves with her ball-dress on." — " Well," resumed my friend. " The newly-married couple are off in her on a honey- moon excursion. Vive L' Amour !" J. S. — " Thames Advertiser."