“ACROSS THE WORLD FOR A WIFE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2431, 20 February 1909, Page 9 (Supplement)

“ACROSS THE WORLD FOR A WIFE.

HUSBAND’S PATHETIC SEARCH. “I have, travelled 5,000 miles during the; present year in search of my dear wile, and missed her in London by a bare quarter of an hour.” So said M. Alphonse Brochier. a young Frenchman, who told his story" to a London pressman recently. Three years ago he was married at Marseilles to a beautiful .girl, with the dark eyes and hair of the southern French woman. It was a love match. They emigrated to New York. "We were intensely happy,” said Alb Brochier, “until money troubles beset us. Suddenly, on December 20. a year ago. my wife was missing. 1 scoured Now York for her. I worked and made money and then set out on my long journey to find her. She is not away from me of her own choice. She is not happy, I am sure. “I travelled to Boston, Philadelphia, and through New York State. All in vain. Then I crossed the Atlantic, arriving in London towards the end of October. I made every inquiry. On November 13 1 learned that a lady answering the description of my wife was staying at a house near New Bond-street. I hesitated to igo as" 1 am a -stranger. “At last I went. Judge of my feelings—she had gone, they knew not where, less than fifteen minutes before I arrived ! APPLICATION TO THE MAGISTRATE. M. Brochier applied for assistance in his search. The magistrate referred him' to the Press. One day, about six weeks ago, M. Brochier met his wife by accident in the street. “I was walking sadly along,” he said, “thinking only of her and how I should find her again in this groat London, when she suddenly overtook me and passed along 'without seeing me; my senses seemed to pass from me for a moment. Then I touched her on the arm. She started greatly as she recognised me.. Then she said quickly, ‘I do not want to come back to you. You dare not take me if I do not want to go.’ “Then she went up to a policeman who was near and said, ‘This man is my husband, but I do not want to go with him. What shall I do?’

“The policeman pointed to Bowstreet Police. Station - further down the street, and said, ‘Go in there and speak to the inspector.’ FOUND AND LOST.

“We went in and while we were standing by ourselves, waiting, my wife said three times, ‘Would you take me back ?’ I replied, ‘Heavens, would I not?’ Then she said, “Oh, I have been through so much, trouble since I left you.’ “The .inspector came and my wife led him to one side. I did not hear what she said, but presently the inspector came back alone and said, ‘You must not follow that lady about. Ton have nothing to do with hev. If you continue, to annoy her I shall arrest you.’ I could not speak for a moment. Then . I cried :

“ ‘But she is my wife! I swear she is my wife!’ I turned at once to follow her, but she had gone. “But I will go on. I will spend my life in trying to find her. It is only because she is too proud that she will not come back to me. If only she would write to me I could toll her how I long to see her again. And the sad, slight little man turned away to' continue his heart-broken quest.