A RUNAWAY MATCH IN CHINA.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 2, Issue 351, 30 December 1879, Page 2

A RUNAWAY MATCH IN CHINA.

We do not often hear of runaway matches in China, but a contemporary gives publicity to one that has just occurred at Fung-kwo, in the mountainous district of Ningpo. A farmer who had an only child, a marriageable daughter, took as an apprentice a young man from a neighboring town. One day, in the absence of himself and wife, the apprentice and daughter decamped, taking with them all the money, clothes, and other portable things they could find. The parents, petrified with astonishment, could do nothing but rave. Their relatives urged them to report the elopement and robbery to the magistrates; but as that required an outlay of money the disconsolate parents would not entertain the idea,

" You must lodge a complaint against the runaways, else'the parents will have you sailed upon to make good the loss of their sun, who was entrusted to your guardianship." "No, for then I shall be unable - to conduct my farm," replied the poor man, with other remarks corresponding to our saw about throwing good money after bad. His friends took: the case in hand, sold a buffalo, and paid the magistrates to attend to the case, which the Chinese say may be settled at any time within a hundred yeara, if the complainant should happen to have good luck.