A charming story of marriage in later life, though a mishap with the train carriage nearly caused problems.
Elopement.
“A locality not more than 100 miles from Tattershall Bridge was thrown into great excitement on Thursday the 14th inst. by the elopement of two ‘widowed lovers,’ the vigourous groom being a man in comfortable circumstances and ‘well stricken in years,’ having been the turn of seventy-five summers, fifty of which have been spent with a kind-hearted wife who was recently taken from him, leaving him possessed of 6 children and 12 grandchildren; the buxom bride being about what Byron terms ‘an uncertain age, which means an age most certain,’ and blessed with five younglings. By arrangement the lady left home on foot, and the gentleman by train, the point of meeting being Kirkstead stated. Arrived at this point he was by no means Slack in stepping our of the carriage in search of the ‘vidder,’ who had reached the spot long Eyre the train was in sight. By some unfortunate circumstances or another, however, the train moved off before the ‘happy pair’ got into the carriage. But determined not to be foiled they passed on to Lincoln as luggage by the next train that ran. On reaching the old city the ‘twain became on flesh,’ and spent the rest of the day in a manner that can be expressed by no term so fully as by the word ‘jolly.’ Next day the bridegroom posted home again but did not take his bride with him, prudence no doubt directing him to proceed first to prepare the way for her to follow by – and – bye.”
The Stamford Mercury, 22nd June, 1860.