Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1859-05-07
'2atlistellalleons..
KIDNAPPING A bride
t4 tfe gEtP W. t @s
BY ERNESTINE HAMILTON

Henry Mdrry, young man of twenty
four, tall and manly, wac riding on spirit
ed horse through lonely part Of the State
of New York, towards the metropolis, whence
he expected soon to depart on tour through
Europe a.,.,
Wrapped in meditation, he heard nothing
until he heard a long, loud cry, full Of suf-
fering, and looking round hastily; he saw
himself directly before an old brown house,
from which the cry proceeded, He, listened
it was repeated, together with an angry
tone, and the young man with one bound
sprang from his horse and entered the open
door A stout, red-faced woman was cru
ely beating a girl, whose slight form shrank
from every blow. His look Of Indignation
only served to increase the ire Of the wo-
4 man.
:'Stop, I command you :" said Henry.
A look, half Of fear and half Of defiance,
rested on the woman's face as she said
''Tve right to treat her as | please,
guess, for all that, stranger" .,
7 "She isn't my mother" sobbed the girl
gliding to Henry's side for protection.
"Say thet again. will you, exclaimed
the woman, furiously, at the same time ad-
vancing with her heavy riding whip uplift-
! ed.
''Save me, save me p she cried, in ter
ror te
''Fear not, you are safe, = returned Hen
ry, in a re-assuring tone !; and turning tc
the woman, he said n. Madam, if she is
your child, how comes it that you are desti-
tute Of every natural feeling ?"
II didn't say she was mine; she's my
husbands, and I'll treat her as I please, =
returned the woman; doggedly.
''Where is your husband?' he asked.
/ FEATHER is gone away, a great ways
sobbed the child. ,s..t
/ "WhU told you to speak, I'd like to know,
Miss but I'll settle with you," she added
shaking the whip Significantly. u
"When do you expect your father" he
asked the girl. st. A
"To-morrow. Mother don't treat me SO
when fathers here" she said, clinging close
to his coat; at least, when he's SOBER y
she added
] He reflected for moment that be Nigh,
(be making matters worse; and if the faith Ell
would return SO soon; he had better leave
them, and he he said to the womani
MADAM, remember there comes the
Judgment, and what will be your sentence;
if you continue to crush the spirit of this
child I? and" ff3si@i
! "None of your businegs!" retorted the
woman. .sa IL FfF't
| "Don't leave me. I hate her. She will
| kill mel" cried the child, passionately
[clinging to his coat, as he turned to depart.
+ A sudden thought struck him evil
you 60 with me p he asked kindly. +, # + +.
"Oh yes! take me with you, she will
kill me when you are gone" s ~ I ,.s4'
Henry gathered the child III his arms,
and saying s'good morning." coolly took
the child and placed her on the saddle be-
fore him. He bowed to the euraged being
who ran screaming to the gate, but, she was
too late, and the horse went swiftly on with
its double burden, while the woman ran in
to devise some mode Of pursuing them.
| The strangeness Of the occurrence sud
denly flashed across Henry mind, and he
became aware of his own .imprudehee, and
the thought that he might have incurred
4 the penalty of the law, made him uneasy.
| 'Whose house is that p he asked to d.
vert his thoughts, as he entered the suburbs
of beautiful little village
esquire Morton's; he's magistrate, y
answered his little protege. r..
/ With sudden resolution he alighted,
and taking the little bare headed girl, he
entered: the door and asked for Mr.. Morton.
II am he !" answered portly man, ad-
vancing. .
Henry told him, the circumstances, and
found that he was indeed liable to imprison-
ment for kidnapping. n i,
i ''What can | do? Surely not return her
to her step-mother." e.t-
''You might marry her!' said the mag
istrate.
..How old are your asked Henry Of the
girl @9rz ~
Fourteen to-day" .sssf.
Good in law" said the squire.
"Will you marry u.s." asked Henry,
| glad to get out as easy as that.
! stNo, won't; but get some person; !
wish not to offend the girls father, who is
a troublesome fellow, though | pity the
girl" a r
'4Can you direct usto minister q
"You can find one next door. Betty can
call him if you wish"
Henry took the young girl aside, and
asked her consent, telling her that other
wise she must return to her mother. The
child gratefully accepted his offer, and in a
few moments mere Nellie Brown and Har-
ry hurry were man and wife.