Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1838-09-20
From the Cincinnati Chronicle.
A RUNAWAY MATCH.

n RUNAWAY
| We CHANGED, two or three weeks since, to
be descending the Miami Canal from Dayton
to this city, in the packet "Clarion," Capt.
Brockaway, commander. The boat had
overcome Is or 30 miles of the distance,
when the tramp of horseman was heard
upon the tow-path. In minute a gallant
steed was beside, covered with foam and
painting with the heat. On his back was
surly looking Dutchman, in years some
forty five or fifty, of middle stature, with
short legs and still shorter stirrups, and sit
ting in his saddle very much as Sir Monkey
rides his poney in the menagcrie. His APP
pearance quickly attracted the eyes of the
crew and passengers, especially as his throat,
well lined with dust and dried by the heat,
gave utterance to sundry violent and incoher-
ent sounds which were ever and anon accom-
panied by threatening flourish of stout
whip which he held in his right hand. At
length he caught the words Mine dawter-
Captain, give me back mine dawter." The
passengers began to look at the captain Of
the " Clarion who by the way is modest
looking, gentlemanly sort of a bachelor, to
know what all this meant. The captain pro-
tested he knew nothing Of the Dutchman's
dawter." The old man kept bawling,
most vehemently, mine dawter, give me
mine dawter."
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 jaded steed to the
fence and was in the cabin of the boat
With quick step and hurried eye, he look
ed arOund-She was not there. He passed
to the ladies' cabin, searched, but with no
better success. He returned to the main
cabin, and his eyes rested upon young Ger
man, asleep on Set:ee, who had probably
escaped his notice as he passed through
"Love's young dream" was most unceremo-
niously disturbed. for the old man sprang at
him like tiger, caught him by the collar,
and cried Out, "you rascal, where's mine
dawter !" The sleeping bridegroom stood
upon his feet in utter amaZement and af-
fright, and instantly pointed to the ladies'
cabin. The old man released him, again
rushed to the ladies' cabin, searched it the
second time, but without success. BY this
time the captain of the Clarion, having be-
come impatient ordered the boat to start, and
the old "dawter" hunter jumped on shore,
and mounting his horse, kept by the side of
the boat, calling out for his "dawter." and
threatening to pursue the captain to Cincin-
natl, and there reclaim his runaway child,
when he would give her i" Germany" sha-
king his rod most Significantly towards the
boat.
| We now learned that the fair runaway.
was sober looking little Dutch girl, in a
piRk dress, who had eat her dinner in Sd
lence, and upon hearing her fathers voice,
had, by the aid of the ladies, concealed her.
self so effectually in the cabin that her faith
er even by the aid Of her craven lover, could
not find her. We further learned that her
parents were opposed to her marrying this
young man, and that they had that morning
eloped, from Dayton, and having taken the
canal boat, for greater speed, were on their
way to Gretna Green, in order to have the
knot matrimonial duly tied. Presently the
old man resolved upon q new course OF &C.
ton, and set off full speed for Hamilton to
invoke the aid of the Sheriff in searching the
boat for "mine dawter." The bridegroom,
whoa had been nightly" scared at the yio-
lence of the old man, now became more COM
posed. He asserted that the young lady
was nineteen years old, and inquired with
considerable anxiety, whether her father
could take her back even if he got the Sher-
if. One of the passengers observing that his
nervous system was good deal disturbed,
and DESTROYS Of having some sport, remarked
in suppressed tone, but SO as to be heard by
the groom, It's pity the old man has bro't
them big pistols with him-I fear there will
be blood she'd" "Has he pistols 2" inquir-
ed the groom in utter CONSERVATION, and pas
| sing 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 a husband
and gaining the parental rod. She quietly
put her foot upon the floor with much signii-
cancy and said, No, you shall do no such
thing" Here was a pretty quandary for
nervous lover to be in-pistols on one side,
Flight was impossible, death seemed almost
certain. The groom stood motionless and
speechless. Some of the ladies in the cabin
proposed that they should both leave the boat
and take to the woods. This proposition
suited the young lady exactly, and her gal
liant lover was ready tor any expedient that
would carry him speedily from the afore-
said pistols. The boat was stopped. the low
ers jumped on shore, the groom leading the
way with one. the bride following with two
bundles, in which were no doubt the bridal
dress and its necessary appurtenances.--
They crossed a 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. q
The passengers rushed to the deck of the
boat and made the welkin ring with their
shouts. g.,
One of them called out, You craven loon.
carry your sweet-heart's bundles. or we'll
come and lynch you" The flying lover
took the hint, ran back, seized the largest of
the young lady's brace of bundles, and again
set of, full speed, for the woods. The bride
pursued with all becoming alacrity, and just
as they reached the edge of a copse their
speed was very considerably quickened by
| one of the passengers crying out" haste,
hacte the old onfs IL coming" urat., ii