Sir Francis Head in his account of the London and North-Western Railway
remarks:—“During a marriage which very lately took place at —, one of the
bridesmaids was so deeply affected by the ceremony that she took the
opportunity of the concentrated interest excited by the bride to elope
from church with an admirer. The instant her parents discovered their
sad loss, messengers were sent to all the railway stations to stop the
fugitives. The telegraph also went to work, and with such effect that,
before night, no less than four affectionate couples legitimately married
that morning were interrupted on their several marriage jaunts and most
seriously bothered, inconvenienced, and impeded by policemen and
magistrates.”