As she stepped from the train on her honeymoon here the bride laughed and said:—I was determined to get away unnoticed. We had planned to leave on Dec. 31, but my grandmother had [her suspicions that we meant to be married and would not let us travel But I managed it all right this time. We're awfully happy, she said, and we mean to live happy ever after.
Mr. Swan, whose home is at Rose Marie, Jaywick-lane, Clacton, slipped a protective arm round his bride.
We left Clacton in my car on Jan. 4 to visit my sister Mrs. J. J. Cook. lof Bourneview,—Larkswood-road, South Chingford, Essex. Instead of going to see my sister we took the train from Euston to Gretna," he explained.
About 10 p.m. we arrived at Gretna, [and when we reached the smithy the place was closed.
Two maids belonging to Gretna Hall told us that Mr. McIntosh was in Carlisle at a pantomime. We decided to wait.
One of the girls invited us into ihe house and gave us some supper Then Mr. McIntosh arrived shortly after 11 p.m. I have a suspicion what you are both here for at this late hour, he said.
We agreed that we wanted to be married.
The ceremony was performed in almost complete darkness over the anvil, the only light being an electric torch which Mr. McIntosh held in his hind. casting a fantastic light over the dark room. n, who last year won [second prize in a beauty contest at Clacton, has been studying shorthand Clare's College She won't be going back.
On Christmas Eve, when the school closed down for a holiday, she said, a few of my friends asked me if I was returning at the end of the vacation.
I just told them in jest, Why, I might be married by that time. Little did I think that my sally would end in real marriage over the Gretna anvil."
Mr. McIntosh, who performed the ceremony, is a friendly rival of Mr. Rennison, the marrying blacksmith of Gretna, and has only been available since Christmas to officiate.
This was my third wedding cere-many," he said Mr. and Mrs. Swan were a handsome pair and it gave me happiness to do the job.
The couple, who first met on Boxing Day a year ago, are now on their way to Scone, near here, where Mr. Swan is engaged on a building contract. They expect to stay about a month, While the girl's father, Mr. Reginal Smith, of London, and her grandmother, Mrs. Graham, with whom she had been living. strongly oppose the marriage, the bridegroom's father. Mr. H. S. Swan, very pleased about it.
When my son left home I did not know he was going to get married Mr. Swan said, but I had an idea for some time that they were contemplating it. Audrey is a chroming and lovely girl.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.