Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1858-02-18
A Romance of Real Life.

A hUudnee OI real Lille.
The following incident, which we extract from
the Journal, published at Bucyrus, Crawford
county, Ohio, claimed to be strictly true, pos
Sesses sufficient romance to make half dozen
novels
In Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, seven
years ago, lived a wealthy farmer who was bless
ed with family of six children, the eldest of
which was a beautiful girl of seventeen summers
A young man in the neighborhood, of good
family, feigned attachment for her. Young
and inexperienced, she fell into the snare set for
her. Shortly after her ruin was accomplished,
the young man, fearing the wrath of her faith
er when the consequences of his vlainy should
become apparent, absconded. The young girl
now felt the full horror of her situation, which
She could conceal but a short time and her de-
stroyer had fled. She could not, dare not en-
dure the shame and reproach that would at
tach to her when all should be discovered. She
determined upon leaving the country, also, and,
prefering 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
empted into the Susquehanna, short distance
away AT this time of year (Spring) it was
swollen by freshets, and it was dangerous to
venture upon the frail bridge of plank that had
been thrown across it. One evening when the
water was very high she proposed going to
neighbor's, who lived across the creek. Her IA
ther objected on the ground of danger, but in
sisting that she could get over safely, she seized
her bonnet and started. She had previously Sc
creted few articles of clothing outside, which
she took with her. Arriving at the bridge she
threw her bonnet into the stream, well knowing
it would be caught in the bushes that overhung
the stream, and hurrying on, soon gained the
road, and walked away in the direction of Har-
risburgh. The CONSERVATION of the family, af-
ter the lapse of two Or three hours, may be i'm
agined One went to the house she had started
for, but she had not been there. 1t was sup
posed Immediately that she had fallen from the
bridge. Search was made and her bonnet was
found lodged on some overhangng willows.
Sadly they returned to their bereaved homes.
Doubt was at an end. She had fallen from the
frail bridge, had been drowned, and her body
carried by the angry food into the river. Short
ly after the supposed death, her father, upon
whose mind the event weighed heavily, wishing
to leave the scene of his afIliction sold his farm
and removed to this county. In the meantime
she had reached Harrisburgh, taken the cars
west, and in few days found her }elf at the on
ly tavern in secluded village in she interior Of
Michigan. The landlady was a kina-hearted wo-
man, and at that particular time was in need of
an assistant. She heard the story of the poor
girl, sympathized with her, and liking her ap-
pcarance insisted on her making that her home.
In this house she passed six years of content
ment. Her hostess introduced her as widow
she gained friends, and received many advanta-
geous 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 passengers. Among them
was face that seemed familiar to her. She
looked again, and with shrick fell fainting to
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 heat once consented. Three
months after his flight from Pennsylvania, seiz-
ed with remorse, he started back with the in
tention of marrying her. On the way he had
picked up a newspaper containing an account
of her tragical death. Feeling that he was the
cause of her untimely end, heart-sick and sad,
he turned back, changed and betterman. He
had settled down, accumulated property and
was man of standing and influence. The joy
of the girl when she met the repentant lover
may be imagined. They were married that eve
, ming. Ascertaining the address of her father,
they came on to this place as fast as steam could
carry them. Words cannot paint the raptures
of the old man as he clasped to his bosom IA
daughter he had mourned as dead for six long
years. Explanations were made, all was forgiv-
en-, and after passing a few weeks of unalloyed
happiness here, they returned to their home in
the West
3. VuE MoJrNT (lyrrTc on