The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1850-04-04
RUNAWAY MATCHES.

that tone and feeling with which candestine
marriages are commented upon in conversa-
tion, and by the press generally, is one of
levity and undisguised satisfaction. 1t is
commonly regarded as one of the best of
jokes, if foolish girl of fifteen or sixteen
succeeds in outwit,ing her father and mother,
and runs off with comparative stranger
Editorial wit is taxed to its utmos. capability
TO render ridiculous the distress and anxiety
of the bereaved father, as he follows his
wandering child. And if fortune favors the
runaways, and the knot is tied before the
parent can interpose warning word, the
general Joy is rapturous. 1t is triumph of
young love over stern, unsympathizing, tyr
anrical household authority, which calls for
the merriest celebration. Or, if the idea
should occur to any, that all is not quite
right in such cavalier treatment of parents,
tits soon apologised for by the sage observa-
ton that young folks will be young folks
Take it in all, stranger to our rules and
customs would be likely 10 infer that paren.
tai rule and counsel implied something very
dreadful and oppressive, and that the young
ladies of the land were held in home bon
dage of the most unjust and nngenerous cha
racter.
At the risk of being regarded as very old
fashioned, we shall nevertheless acknow-
ledge that we rarely can see any thing of the
nature of a good joke in clandestine or run
away wedding. We confess to feeling of
sadness and evil foreboding, when we hear
that girl who is mere child, has made up
her mind 10 repudiate the love and the anX-
ious care of the mother who bore her, and
of the father who has cherished her as his
life-that she has turned her face away from
the altar of home, from the nest of her in
fancy, and put herself in the hands of man
whom her parents dare not trust
We need hardly remark that marriage is
the greet event in a woman's life, and from
which all other events take their coloring-
If she err here, her whole life is of one una
vailing penance, of scalding tears, of sharp
and blighted sorrow. She cannot go back to
undo her fault, she dare not look to the fu-
ture, for it is all desolate 10 ner. These
things being so, ii follows that young lady
should yield her hand and heart only after
the most prudent and cautious forethought
She should avail herself of the wisdom and
experience of those who love her, and above
all, of her parents, and she will feel that the
chances are sufficiently numerous that she
may still make an unwise choice
But, in most clandestine marriages, the
girl is child, ignorant of the world with
out experience, deficient in judgment her
mind filled with false notions and fanciful
day.dreams, derived from novels and roman
ces. She meets with a young man at ball
or party, or no matter where, who seems in
terested in her, and she is hattered by his
apparent admiration. He conducts her home
calls on her the nexl day repeats his call,
and they are theDceforth in love, if they are
not at the first glance. They have become
the Romeo and Juliet of what is play in
the outset, but tragedy in its close.
The incompetency of the young girl 10 es-
innate the character of her lover, is perfectly
apparent 10 every one but herself. 1t is e.
nough for her that he appears to love her, &
is probably accepted without reference 10 her
parents. He entreats that an early day may
be named for their uuion. If there is any
doubt of her parents concurrence, this is
granted, too; and if parental objections or diff
ficulties threate 10 interpose, an elopement
is the next question agitated and agreed to.
They are consoled by the thought that there
is something romantic in runaway match;
and that such things are rather praised than
condemned and beside, after all is over, it
will not be difficult 10 make up with father
and mother.
A rejecting woman would see that the
young man who sues for her love without
the sanction of her parents, gives prima taeie
evidence that something is wrong about him
something that shuas the light and fears
investigation. A woman in her right mind
would say, "My parents know and confide
in; they love me and my hnppiness; their lot
in life is bouud up with mine, so that if err,
they will be wretched. They shall be my
counsellors. | Twill not trust my own TOO par
tial eye to investigate my lovers character,
and will refer il to them" Such would be
any prudent girls course, and such course
would seldom, if ever, end in an elopement.
But such is not the course of that large
class of young girls who figure in runaway
matches And the consequence is, that such
girls fall an easy prey to the thousand lgen-
teel loafers, worthless, portionless and heart
less vagrants who contrive TO keep up a re-
spectacle exterior by preying upon society.
While we write these lines, ve think of
the multitudes of once young, thoughtless
girls who have fallen into such hands, and
found, after few months of married life,
their terrible mistake. They see, when it is
too late, they realize when there is no reme-
ly for it, that they have plunged into an a.
byss of misery, instead OF Stepping into a
heaven of eternal bliss, and now casting
themselves ouce more upon the parental bo-
som, exclaim in a concert of agony, "would
to God we had never wandered hence"