Southern telegraph., 1838-09-26
THE RUNAWAY MATCH,


Capt. Brockawsy, commander. The boat
had overcome 25 OF 80 miles distance, when
the tramp ola horseman was heard upon the
tow-path. In minute gallant steed was
beside US, covered with foam and painting
with the heat On his back was a surIy
looking Dutchman, in years some forty-five
or fifty, of middle stature, with short legs and
still shorter stirrups, and sitting on his sad
die very much as Sir Monkey rides his po-
ny in the menagerie. His appearance
quickly attracted the eyes of the crew and
passengers, especially as his throat, well
filled with dust and dried by the heat, gave
utterance to sundry violent and incoherent
sounds, which were ever and anon accom-
panied by a threatening flourish ola stout rod
which he held in his right hand. At length
we caught the words, "Mine dawter- Cap
tain, give me back mine dawter." The pas
sengers began to look at the Captain of the
"Clarion, )" who by the way is modest look
ing, gentlemanly sort of bachelor, to know
what all this meant. The Captain protested
he knew nothing of the Dutchman's Edaw-
; ter" The old man kept bawling, most We
hementy, "Mine dawter, give me mine
ldawter." The captain now stopped his
boat, and called to the enraged horseman to
come on board and take his ''dawter." In
an instant he had dismounted, tied his faded
steed to the fence, and was in the cabin Of
the boat. With quick step and hurried
eve, he looked round--she was not there.
He passed on to the ladies' cabin, searched
it, but with no better success. He returned
to the main cabin, and his eye rested upon
a young German, asleep on settee, who
had probably escaped his notice as he pass
ed through. cloves young dream" was
most unceremoniously disturbed, for the old
man sprung at him like tiger, caught him
by the collar, and cried out, "You rascal,
where's mine dawter?'' The sleeping
bridegroom stood upon his rect in utter a.
mazement and alright, and instantly point
ed to the ladies' cabin. The old man re-
leased him, again rushed into the ladies' ca
bin, searched it second time, but without
success.
BY this time the captain of the Clarion
having become impatient, ordered the boat
to start and the old dawter-hunter jumped
on shore, and mounting his horse, kept by
the side ofthe boat, calling out for his "daw-
ter" and threatening to pursue the captain
to Cincinnati, and there reclaim his runa-
way child, when he would give her "Gar-
many" shaking his rod most significantly
towards the boat. We now learned that the
fair runaway was a sober looking little
Dutch girl, in pink dress, who had eaten
her dinner in silence, and who, upon hear.
ing her fathers voice, had by the aid ofthe
ladies', concealed herself so efTectually in
the cabin, that her father, even by the aid
of her craven lover, could not find her. We
further learned that her parents were OPP
posed to her marrying this young man, and
that they had that morning eloped from Day
ton, and having taken the canal boat, for
greater speed, were on their way to some
Gretna Green, in order to have the knot ma
trimonial duly tied. Presently, the old man
resolved upon new course of action, and
set off full speed for Hamilton, to invoke the
aid of the Sheriff In searching the boat for
"mine dawter" The bridegroom, who had
been "mightily scared" by the violence of
the old man, now became moro composed.
He asserted that the young lady was nine
teen years old, and inquired, with consider
able anxiety, whether her father could take
her back, emf he got the Sheriff. One
of the passengers observing that his nervous
system was a good deal disturbed, and desI-
rous of having some sport, remarked in a
suppressed tone, but SO as to be heard by
the groom, dts pity the old man has brought
them big pistols with him; fear there will
be blood-shed.' alas he pstols?" inquired
the groom in utter CONSERVATION, and pass
ing quickly from the bow Of the boat to the
ladies' cabin, with his bundle of clothes in
his hand, proposed to his lady-love that he
should jump on shore, escape to the woods,
and leave her TO the tender mercies of her
father, TO be taken back to Dayton. But his
lady-love had no idea of losing husband
and gaining the parental rod. She quietly
put her foot upon the floor with much insig-
nifcancy, and said, "No, you shall do no
such thing"
Here was pretty quanddry for ner-
vous lover to be In--pistols on one side, and
resolute young lady on the other. Flight
was mpossible-death seemed almost GER
tain. The groom stood motionless and
speeches.. Some ofthe ladies in the cabin
proposed that they should both leave the
boat and take to the woods. This PROPOSE
ton suited the young lady exactly, and her
gallant lover was ready for any expedient
that would carry him from the aforesaid pis-
tolls. The boat was stopped, the lovers
jumped on shore; the groom leading the way
with one, the bride following with two bun
dies, in which were no doubt the bride dress
and its necessary appurtenances. They
crossed bridge in hot haste, to get on the
opposite side Of the canal from the pistol
bearer, and made for the woods at the top OF
their speed, the groom leading the bride
some twenty PAGES. The passengers rush
ed TO the deck of the boat, and made the well
kin ring with their shouts. One of them