Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1848-02-17
From the Delaware Blue Hens Chicken.
THE EARLY LIFE OF MRS. GAINES.

III.
THE EARLY LIFE OF MRS. GAINES.
As the case Of this extraordinary woman
has for long TIME past excited the interest
of The people Of this Country, we think i,
will not be ur'anteres,ing to give our readers
slight sketch Of er'earl y life. Mira Clark,
(now Mrs. Gaines, who is we'll known TO
our citizens, having in early life resided here,
was born in New Orleans, her father, Daniel
Clark, twefi known in The political and
commercial history of Louisiana,) being a
partner of Col. Davis, of this county. Her
father died, and when only few months
old, she was adopted by Col. Davis, and
brought up as his own child. a man by the
name of Ralph destroyed her fathers will,
and obtained possession of the whole of the
immense property of her father, consisting
of nearly the whole of the new part of New
Orleans, al that time worth near fve mil
lions Of dollars, and now worth much more
She lived in entire ignorance of her parent
sge for long time. The first idea she ha,
of her parentege, was being ,aun,ed by girl
at school with the fact that Col Davis was
ITO. her father. Afterwards she discovered
II from some papers which she found. while
looking for some documents which she was
10 send 10 the Colonel a. Harrisburg, they at
that time living in Pennsylvania. Some
time afterwards she visited the Sulphur
Springs, Virginia, and while there on account
Of her carriage breaking, she became ac-
quainled with young man nsmed VIM
Whitney, son Of Gen. Whitney of New
York. Soon afterwards he visitad her in
Philadelphia, but the Colonel not approving
Of the match, he was forbid tire house. Col
Davis soon after moved to Delamore place.
near Wilmington. and Miss. Clark not being
permitted 10 see her lover, she correspondent
with him.
To prevent detection, her letters were d.
rected To Miss Mary Ann Williamson, (now
the wife Of Rev. Cory Chambers, of this ci,y,)
daughter Of our late Mayor and Postmaster,
she carefully keeping the secret, and pune
tuallv delivering the letters in the hands of
Miss Clark, and delivering hers to Mr.
Whitney in return. Miss Clark was bv
this time fully acquainted with her parent
age and the immense estate of her father
AT last she received letter from Mr. Whit
ney, urging her by all she held true and the
love she bore him, 10 elope with him. The
plan was laid and the time fixed. Mr.. Whit
ney was TO be at New Castle, where she
was to Join him. None was let into the Sc
ere, bul Miss Williamson. To prevent de-
lection. Miss Clark called all the dogs to-
gether about Col. Davis place lha, evening
put them in one of the oulbuldings, and pu,
,hem all up. AT last the nigh, came, and
terrible one it was too; the wind howled,
the rain poured in torrents, and the darkness
was only now and then illuminated by fear
ful flashes of lightning. Undaun,ed by the
raging elements, Miss Clark stepped from
her bedroom on the balcony, and by means
OF a pillar of the balcony or rope managed
to reach the ground in safety, and immedi-
ately ran as fast as she couldlo Wilmington
1t was fearful night for girl so small SO
young and delicate, to venture abroad alone
and unattended. On her way, if possible.
the rain became heavier, and the flashes of
lightning more vivid.
At last she reached the residence Of Mr..
Williamson, drenched with rain, and The top
OF her handbook beat in by the violence of
the storm. Miss williamson was waiting
alone in the passage 10 receive her; the
low knock at the door was given, the key
softly turned, the door opened, and Miss
Clark, pulling off her lille kid slippers,
which were wet through, softly descended
the stairs. so as not to alarm the rest of the
family. The ladies employed themselves
until morning in drying, as we'll as they
were able, Miss Clark's clothes Al the first
dawn of morning they stepped out, and a
hack being procured, she departed for New
Castle. Miss Williamson gave her all The
money she had, S5-as al the time she left
Colonel Davis she had no, dollar.
Al New Castle, Miss Clark met her lover,
and they started for Baltimore, where they
were met by Miss Williamson, who acted as
bridesmaid on the occasion of their marriage
Immediately after her marriage, Miss Clark.
who I've shall now call Mrs. Whitney, Sc,
about hunting up facts in relation to- her
birth. Threats were used, and every obs,a-
Gle made use of to prevent her. Her frs,
care was 10 find her mother, and after long
search she was at last discovered, we believe,
in the island of Jamaica. She almost imme-
dalely recognized her daughter, and gave
her the marriage certificate of her husband.
Daniel Clark, from whom she had been sep
nraled some time before his death. Proceed
lngs were Immediately commenced, bu, for a
while with small prospect Of success
Threats were not, only made agains, herself
and husband, but agains, any one who should
advocate their cause. It was with difficulty
a lawyer could be procured to plead her
rause even the very judges on the bench
were the feed counsel of The other side, and
generally supposed to be under the influence
Of bribery.
Finally. her husband was thrown in pri-
son in New Orleans, during The prevalence
Of the fever, and afterwards, she was impri-