Star.
London, England, 1824-08-31 00:00:00

THE LATE ELOPEMENT:

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There is-such• an• air of delightful mystery thrown,
about affairs of this sort, that almost everybody, whe-
ther bachelor or spinster, widower or widow, delisbts
to peruse them ; and although the prudent mother or
the sage papa will purse up, their brows at the detest-
able account, still very few throw away the paper
without taking a sidelong glance, by' way of solatiitni
for the decay of nature. The tide of time rolls on in
spite of us, years multiply, the head exhibits its hoary
honours, and we feel that the young blood no longer
frolics through the veins as it was wont to do some two
'score summers back; yet the reminiscences of our
youth are still refreshing and gay ; the loves of others
remind us of our own—but alas !
" The days are gone when beauty bright
(Jr hearts' chain wove,
When our dreams of hope, from morn to night,
Were love—still love."
The cynic cries " stuff," the politician turns to the next
column for latest from India ; the philosopher glances
along our page in search of the Scientific Register;
one of the Fancy runs his brawny hand over the sheet
to feel for Milling Extraordinary ; whilst all, as if go-
verned by one irresistible impulse, return to the same
point, and the Elopement is read and talked of in every
circle from Patrician Almack's to the Coal Hole.

Rumour, it is well known, offer, feigns, and still
oftener exaggerates; therefore, what we cannot believe,
we must e en take on faith, or the mystic charm has no
efficacy. However, for once, we are bound to• confirm
the gossiping of this hundred-tongued babbler. She
told us, in a significant whisper, some few days back, of
Northern expedition, in which the daughter of a
wealthy citizen (nut a hundred miles from St. Paul's),
and a gallant son of MATS, played first line of business
with unexcelled and almost unlooked•for success. As a
father's approval and clerical benediction has put the
seal of confirmation on the half-forged fetters of the
Gretna Vulcan, we trust the partiei chiefly toncerned
will forgive our espials into la secrets worth knowing."
Every Miss and Master, from Hyde Park-corner to St.
George's in the East, has alreidy heard somewhat of
the affair, an it would be the extreme of cruelty ih us
to suffer their curiosity any further delays.
In gallantry, a Lady always commands first notice.
Our fair heroine (as already announced) is the only
daughter and sole heiress of her wealthy father; who'
professes to know more of Stilton and Parmesan than
he does of surgery or phlebotomy ; still he was a thriv-1
ing man, and a worthy citizen. Having lost her ma-,
ternal parent at a very tender age, the young lady's,
education was submitted to the management of her
uncle, an excellent Divine, who enjoys a handsome.
living near Coventry. the liberality of a fond father
aided the suggeitions of a sensible uncle, and there was
no accomplishment necessary to form the mind or Orna-
ment the manners of a female destined by her fortune
to till an elevated station in life, thit was not succes-
sively plaied within the grasp of Miss —, who, in-
heriting a more than ordinary share of natural endow-
, merits, became, at the age of eighteen, a most danger-
ously seductive object. It was at this period (six months
since) that ber now happy consort first visited Coventry
(not, be it remembered, that Coventry which is such a
terror to many a luckless urchin, but to the pleasantly
situated town of that name in Warwicksh:m), on mili-
tary duty as First Lieutenant in a marching regiment,
which has long worn the appropriate insignia of a heart
on the sword's point, with the no less appropriate motto
—l, All for Love—all for Honour."

In a provincial town, a red coat is always an attrac-
tion with " the sex r nor is this singular, for, as an
elegant writer justly observes, " contrast is the source
of love," and " women, being angels of peace, are there-
fore partial to men of war." Soon after the settlement
of the corps, introductions took place, and a round of
hospitalities ensued, in which it was the good fortune
of Lieutenant —to meet the fair Londoner at the house
of her venerable relative. Love perched on the soldier's
plume, and maintained a successful battery against tse
unpanoplied heart of Miss —, whose witching softness
had long since made conquest of our hero's affections.
In a moment of reciprocal confidence, he wooed and
won her gentle approval of his passion, and in the next
obtained a promise to elude the vigilance of guardian-
ship, and with him to

" Wander hean•linked through the busy world,
Like-birds iu eastern story."--
In the month of June, the Lady's father summoned her
home, as a matrimonial proposal of some consideration
.had been tendered for her fair hand ; the mandate was
obeyed, but jealousy possessed the lover's heart, and
love still keeping its hold in that of the young Lady,
the Gretna excursion was eagerly pressed, and as tx-
pidly concluded. The parties left town on Wednesday
week, at an early hour of the morning, in a chaise and
four, accompanied by a mutual ft lend ; the circum-
stance was almust immediately discovered by the en•
raged father, who threw himself into a light post-coach,
with the like number of Rosinantes, but on reaching
Ashby-de-la-Zouch (the road the fugitives were said to
have taken), the old Gentleman found that Lye's pi-•
!lions were too strong for age to cope withal ; Lis
horses' heads were again turned towards the dear city,
' whilst those of the fond pair were kept " due not th."—.
No interruption occurred until the business was defi-
nitively concluded, and the charming, lovely', accom-
plished Miss became " a soldier's bride." Through
the distant vista of time, this happy couple, as they
slowly retraced their steps, looked forward to pardon
and to fortune. A mediator was procured; unfortu-
nately, disappointed hopes of a more monied son-in-law,
made the father difficult of entreaty; but men and wo-
men, thank HEAVEN, are neither hills nor mountains;
an interview took place—the repentant daughter wept
a summons to pardon; the angry parent vented his
short-lived storm against the gaudy epaulette and.
empty purse of his new relative, blustered a little, and
finally signified his entire forgiveness of the culprits by
a splendid matrimonial settlement.
In cider to do away the old Gentleman's scruples as
to the validity of a Scotch marriage, the parties were
obliged ti go through the ceremony again, under the
old English formula of " With this ring I thee wed,"
&c. but as the grand-papa (that will be) designs to leave
a considerable portion of his Wealth tnhis child's chil-
dren, perhaps he did well to leave no room for cavil as
to their right of inheritance.

POISONING FROM TOBACCO.—Mary Turner, a Child
of six years of age, living at Stratford, on last Thurs-
day, swallowed a portion of half-smoked tobacco, which
she took out of her Mother% pipe, and in the evening
was seized with a violent retebiag, which *continued till
nest day, when 'she died. This was from the poisciticids
oil contained in the tobacco, whiclamides iq stdoking.