33. Stephen and Maraes Married Life Begins 
At the conclusion of the  days programme Stephen & his bride were taken in the Mary Ann
to their new home at Taipa where this native woman soon adapted herself to her
new environment of European civilisation & became a very capable domestic wife.
She set out to learn the language of her husband & within 12 months time had
accomplished it in a very masterly manner. Both parties became very attached to
each other & the  union grew into a love rather than a betrothal association,
which delighted all concerned as Mr Wrathall Senr had feared that, not previously
knowing eash other, there was that possible chance that their sentiments may not
harmonise & that is the  advantage in lifes romance of a courtship prior to
marriage which could not be made to apply in this case. However, everything moved
on smoothly until the Mary Ann took the  news of the  event to Australia in a
letter to Mrs Wrathall informing her of Stephens marriage to this NZ Native
woman.
34. Tending The Taipa Stock
The  vessel having now cleared port after her interrupted trip to Tauranga in
connection with the  wedding meant the  return of all the  workmen back to their
respective jobs at the  pits & in the  bushes & Mr Wrathall went up to the  Orutu
homestead to see how the  operations on the  ranch were progressing. He found
that the  whole of the  200 acres that he had burnt was now a great green area,
the  whole burn smothering in a NZ natural clover & as it was such a good sward
that he decided to get the  cattle back to graze the  area & keep the  growth
controlled. John & Moko went out to the  back country to muster the  stock each
day, returning with mobs from different localities until the clean-up, when they
discovered in the  recount that 6 calves & their mothers were missing & also 3
brood mares with foals were short mustered. Hoping that they would come out of
the bush later, no further attention was paid to them, & as the fencing
operations had to be proceeded with at once, Mr Wrathall decided to let the
missing stock take their chances in the meantime. Later however, Pawai sent 2
natives out into the  bush in search of the  stock & they discovered them well
back about 20 miles from where they were liberated, grazing on the  bush growth
in the  dense forest at the  foot of the  Mangataniwha mountain. The calves were
very wild and there was no possible chance of driving them in trackless NZ bush
so all hopes were abandoned & Mr Wrathall decided that as far as he was
concerned, he would not bother with them. The horses also were not found,
although the  natives came across their tracks at a spot where they crossed a
stream; so the cattle & horses both became inbred & very soon increased to such
an extent that the  forest country near the  Mangataniwha range was soon
well-stocked with wild cattle & horses, all descended from those that got away
from Wrathalls ranch at Orutu. The  stock at the  homestead was given careful
attention & soon they so increased that Mr Wrathall was able to slaughter the 
fat steers for beef & keep up a fairly regular supply. John was managing the 
stock & the  whole of the  proceeds from the  sale of stock was placed in his
credit. A separate set of books was opened by Mr Wrathall in whish all debits &
credits  of the  ranch operations were recorded so that when the  final
adjustments of both interests were undertaken, both the  sons would be equitably
dealt with.
35. Mary Ann Wrathall Disapproves of Stephens Marriage
The domestic life of Stephens Taipa home was all that could be desired &
everything was running smoothly until a bombshell arrived from Australia in the 
shape of a letter from sts mother addressed to Stephen & the  text of which read:
Dear Stephen, The  awful news has reached me of your marriage, the  effect of
which has caused sleepless nights & I earnestly state that as much as I admire
the  spirit of adventure that prompted you & John to try your luck in NZ, I can
now only express regret at the outcome of it scince you have elected to take that
fatal step & bring shame & disgrace upon me by marrying a negress. I never did
think that tou above all Stephen, my first born, whom I cherished & watched
through life, would marry so. Your mothers heart is now broken to think that I
had cared for you so tenderly through your childhood days & later in your
youthful and early manhood days & then for you to forget all that & throw
yourself away on an aboraiginal & uncultured woman, one whom you could never take
into civilised society & one who is bound to drag you down to the last rung of
the  social ladder. Stephen, I can never forgive you when I think that you have
practically ruined the names of your fathers & your mothers families in the old
land where the  names of both Wrathall & Walker were held in such high esteem. I
want to impress vividly upon tou your awful blunder & how it has not only
affected yourself but the  effect it will have upon all who should feel proud to
carry the  name of Wrathall by posteritys reflection that your descendants are
the  offspring of the  Maoris , a coloured & cannibal race. I write this note to
you not in haste, but as a result of mature consideration & I want to state that
this is the  last letter you will ever receive from your once dear mother: the
blow is too severe & I shall soon be called to the  peaceful Land beyond where
sorrow shall be no more. Good-bye Stephen, & God bless you.
From your loving mother.