Gossip Corner

The union of May and December seems to be 'the rage' just now. At Brighton a bachelor of 87 summers has been united with a spinster of 68, whilst from Littlehampton a more romantic story comes in the shape of an elopement. The 'young man' is 19, whilst the 'other party' has seen nearly sixty years roll by. For some time the young fellow was supposed to be courting one of two daughters, but there must have been, it would seem, quiet courting going on with himself and the ma.

What has become of the Cuckfield Magpies?" If the 'feathered' tribe are extinct this result has not been brought about by lack of public support.

Last Wednesday the inhabitants of Haywards Heath were surprised to hear the bells of St. Wilfrid's ringing between ten and eleven o'clock at night. On the mystery being investigated it was found that the bell-ringer, had been inadvertently locked in the Church. It appears that finding there was no mode of egress the imprisoned ringer resorted to the bells as the only mode of making his Crusoe-like condition known, with the result that he was speedily liberated.

Could anything be more aggravating than the way in which fate treated the Staplefield fowl stealer last week? It is rather hard lines to have to pass from the vision of epicurean feasting to the far from sumptuous fare provided by Her Majesty at Lewes. Mr T Cave, JP (ex-MP for Barnstaple) will give a Temperance address at the New Assembly Rooms, Lindfield, on Thursday next. It is now three years ago since Mr Cave addressed a Mid-Sussex audience. His eloquent speech on that occasion is still remembered by many.

Wyberlye most be congratulated upon its extraordinary good lack in the football field last week, when they obtained 36 goals in two matches. In the match on Saturday when they scored eleven goals to love against Cuckfield the victory of Wyberlye was a foregone conclusion in the opinion of those acquainted with the opposing teams.

The Wyberlye men enjoy the advantage or daily practice, and are accustomed to work with one another, whilst the Cuckfield defeat may be attributed to the fact that they only practice once a week, and the team they had on Saturday was one of the weakest they have ever put into the field.

Mid Sussex Times, 4 December 1881

Contributed by Malcolm Davison.

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