Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1858-01-14
Romance of Real Life.

The following incident, which we ex-
tract from the Journal, published at Bu-
cyrus, Crawford county, Ohio. claimed to
be strictly true, possesses sufficient ro-
nance to make half dozen novels:
"In Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, sew
en- years ago, lived a wealthy farmer who
was blessed with family of six children,
the eldest of which was beautiful girl of
seventeen summers. A young man in the
neighborhood, of a good family, feigned
attachment to her. Young and inexperi-
enced, she fell into the snare set for her.
Shortly after her ruin was accomplished.
the young man, fearing the wrath of her
father when the consequences of his viii
lainy should become apparent, absconded
The young girl now felt the full horror of
her situation, which she could conceal but
a short time, and hor destroyer had fled
She could not, dared not, endure the shame
and repreach that would attach to her when
all should be discovered. She determin-
ed upon leaving the country also, and pre-
fering to be considered as dead, matured
plan to cheat her parents into the belief
that she had been drowned A creek ran
through her fathers farm and emptied into
the Susquehanna, short distance away
At this time of the year (spring) it was
swollen by frcshets, and it was dangerous
to venture upon the frail bridge Of plank
that had been thrown across it. One even
ing when the water was very high, she
proposed going to neighbours, who lived
across the creek. Her father objected ON
the ground of danger, but insisting that
she could get over safely. she seized her
bonnet and started. She had previously
secreted few articles of clothing outside,
which she took with her.
Arriving at the bridge, she threw her
bonnet in the stream, we'll knowing that it
would be caught on the bushes that over
hung the stream, and hurrying on, soon
gained the road, and walked away in the
direction of Harrisburgh. The consterna-
tion of the family, after the lapse of two or
three hours, may be imagined. One went
70 the house she had started for, but she
had not been there. 1t was supposed i'm
mcdiately that she had fallen off the bridge.
Search was made, and her bonnet was
found lodged on some overhangiDg willows.
Sadly they returned to their bereaved
home. Doubt was at an end. She had
fallen from the fr'il bridge, had been
drowned. and her body carried by the an
cry flood into the river Shortly after her
supposed death, her father, whose mind
was troubled by the event, wishing to leave
the scene of his affliction, sold his farm
and removed to this county.
In the meantime she had reached Har-
risburgh, taken the cars west, and in few
days found herself at the only tavern in
secluded village in the interior ofMichigan
The landlady was a kind hearted woman,
and at that particular time was in need of
an assistant. She heard the story of the
poor girl, and sympathized with her, and
liking her appearance, insisted on her ma
king that her home. In this house she
passed six years of contentment. Her
hostess introduced her as a widow; she
gained friends, and received many advan-
tageous offers of marriage.
One morning, about SIX months ago, she
was in the sitting room when the stage
drove up The windows of the coach were
down, and she could see most OF the pas
sengers. Among them was a face that
seemed familiar to her. She looked again
and fell fainting on the floor 1t was her
betrayer The landlady soon learned how
matters stood, and determined that justice
should be done. She sought him, told him
the facts, and insisted that he should repair
the Injury he had inflicted by making her
his wife. To this he at once conseuted.-l
Three months after his fight from Penn
sylvauia, seized with remorse, he had star
ted back with the intention of marrying her.
On the way he had picked up newspaper
which contained an account of her tragical
death. Feeling that he was the canse of
her untimely end, heart-sick and sad, he