Papa Was Too Late

Some years ago I was acting as curate in a large Lpudon parish. ïwo young people in whom Iwas greatly ínter were to be married ou acertain Wi day in April. Contrary to cnstom, the bride arrived before the bridegroom - indeed the bridegroom never arrived at alL It subsequently transpired that the bridegroora had disappeared the pr(vio;is evening and was nowhere to be found. He. has not been found to this day. Na cause for his disappearance was ever assigned, nor has any clew to his whereabouts ever been diseovered. The poor young "uride succurnbed to the shock, and it was my melancholy dnty to ofiiciate at her burial some weeks later. One more case, and I have done. A cuxate. in receipt of little more (han L100 a year, proposedto the danghter ei a wealthy north country manufactnrer and was accepted. Paterfamilias was rxtremely angiy at this and forbade the young fellow his house. Candor compela me to state that the danghter offered very little resistanee to her father's objections, and the curate, who was geun iuely foud of the girl, removed to a dis tant parish. Two months after this eveut he feil into a baronetey and rather more than L3,000 a year. The manufacturcr suw that he had made a mistake and opened np uegotiations in a letter. By return he received a telegram with the laconio information, "Too late," We may bs certain that the good rnamifacturer'i wife gave him a large "plce of hei