Show A Matrimonial Hoax A correspondent in Kent writes A widower of Whitstable has just been the victim of a cruel hoax Being desirous of reentering the matrimonial state to accomplish ac-complish his object he adopted the means of advertising for a wife in one of the county papers and received a reply purporting pur-porting to come from a most desirable person viz a charming widow possessing the advantages of a coal business a couple ofhorses and traps and some cottage property After giving a description of herself and her belongings the widow requested re-quested to be furnished with a photograph of the advertiser who replied stating that he did not possess a portrait but assured the applicant that he was a fine smart tall dark and ablebodied man The bait having taken the widow in due course wrote again requesting a personal interview inter-view giving her residence at a place sit uated about five miles from Maidstone and stating that if the widower traveled by a certain train she would endeavor to arrange for one of her traps to meet him at the station All necessary arrangements were made for the journey and at the appointed ap-pointed time the anxious widower dressed in his Sunday best and accompanied by his housekeeper and child took his departure paying something like sixteen shillings for railway fares of hiu > Clf and companions On reaching his destination ho found no trap awaiting him However nothing I daunted he finished te jourtey ou foot j but only to realize the unpleasant fact that the widow whom he hoped to make his partner for life and the shaiv r of his joys j I and sorrows was but to creariin of some evil disposed imagination Sick it heart I with the result of his wooing adventure I the victim of the hoax returned to the land i of Whitstable native a sadder and wiser I man determined to avoid an alliance with charming widows for the future I |