AN UNWILLING MARRIAGE.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XV, Issue X, 7 September 1895, Page 291

AN UNWILLING MARRIAGE.

One of Sir Walter Scott’s cousins and namesakes was a sailor, and on one occasion, while stationed off Portsmouth, he got into a bit of a scrape. He and two companion middies were enjoying themselves on shore, and not only overran their account, but overstayed their leave of absence. Their vessel had signalled for them to return, but their landlady, firmly turning the key upon them, declined to part with them until they had paid her. She summoned the baliffs, and was deaf t£ their entreaties, consoling them with the assurance that they would be totally ruined if they did not return to their ship when summoned. This was too true. ‘ Well,’ she said, relenting, ‘ I’ll give you one chance. I am so

situated here that I cannot carry on business as a single woman, and I must contrive somehow to get a husband, or at least I must be able to produce a marriage certificate. The only terms on which you shall all three have leave to return on board is that one of you consent to marry me. I don’t care which one it is ; but by all that's sacred, one of you I will have, or else you all three go to gaol, and your ship sails without you.’ The escape thus offered was by no means a tempting one ; but at last the discomfited youths drew lots for the honour of matrimony, and the lot fell on young Scott. Without delay the hostess marched them off to church, and the marriage was hurriedly celebrated ; upon which the married pair mutually agreed to a lifelong separation. Though she had desired to be married, the landlady had no wish for the incumbrance of a husband. She got rid of the middies, with a present of some good wine to drink her health in, and the three having sworn secrecy, no one else knew that young Scott was a married man. The news leaked out. suddenly enough, however. He was at Jamaica,and was glancing over a pile of newspapers just arrived. Hiseye was suddenly arrested by an account of robbery and murder at Portsmouth. All at once he electrified his companions by springing fromhisseat and crying out. * Thanks be to God, my wife is dead ’’