Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-08-10

and though she would not advise US, yet she
would not withhold her consent, if we con-
cluded TO fly together. After saying so much
she kindly walked on, leaving me TO urge my
cause, which was indeed her cluse also, with
Bess. succeeded SO well that she promised
to marry me that night. The words had
barely escaped her lips when we met Won
Holt who scowled upon me- and gave my
companion glance of distrust and displeas-
nre So soon rs he was out Of sight, | left
the ladies and hurried up the iiinty street to
the parsonage. The old clergyman was will
ing to come down; he had already, he said,
promised to marry a couple at No. 81 at 9
o'clock, and he could easily come down an
hour earlier 10 No. 30. designated my own
room as the place 10 meet me, but we had de-
cided that the ceremony should be performed
in Lady Grey's parlor, room adjacent to
Miss Conyngham's own. After concluding
the arrangements with the clergyman, and
obtaining a license, hastened back to prepare
my luggage and send it to the depot At
o'clock everything on my part was ready,
and l sat in the large arm chair beneath the
ventilator, waiting for the signal that would
indicate that Miss COnyngham was ready
The signal did not come, but in its place l
heard a low voice repeating my name. l
sprang up; there stood Bess.
81 am locked in, she exclaimed in terror.
''Herr Won Holt saw us together and inform
ed my father, and he says shall not leave
this room, or communicate with my Aunt
even, until the clergyman comes at nine
o'clock. He suspects US, you and /, of elop-
ing"
Only one moment was confounded; in
the next an expedient occurred to me; but
would Bess take advantage of it, that was
the question:
"Wait a moment" said, "until l write
note TO your Aunt, Lady Grey" 1t was
written and sent; and in five minutes Lady
Grey and her maid stood at my door
briefly informed her of the facts, and sug-
gested her only chance of flight. Bess must
come through the ventilatOr. The clergy
man would be there in fifteen minutes, and
we could be married in my parlor, instead Of
Bess's.
"She can never do it, i" exclaimed her lady
ship.
"She must" I firmly replied
"Well, we will abide by her decision, "
she answered. I jumped up, and in half a
dozen words told Miss Conyngham of the
hope remaining to US; would she avail her
self ofith
"Yes,' was her quiet reply.
The word was no sooner spoken than
began to cut away with my knife piece
from the pannel of the door, in which re-
volved the axis Of the ventilator. The glass
was soon removed, and the ventilator free
of incumbrance. l Ileached through, whis-
Pering to the trembling girl to come at
once. She sprang up without hesitation,
and in five minutes she was safely by my side
I then FASTENED to put back the window in
its place, that the vacuum might not excite
suspicion.
Bess had a short time to compose herself
before the clergyman entered. He began the
ceremony directly, and 1 was soon the husband
Of the lOveliest girl in the world. As was
paying my five pounds lecture fee, heard a
door unlock in the adjoining room, and a
loud exclamation, accompanied by an oath.
did not wait for the denoument, but hur-
riedly bade Lady Grey and the clergyman
good-bye; the latter, by the way, l saw go
ing around to the performance of the other
ceremony at nine o'elock-and carried off
BeSs to the carriage. We went to London
that night by rail. The next week got a
letter from home with permission to return.
l availed myself of it. and brought my Eng
lish wife to America, and to this day hold
in reverence the ventilator, for by what other
way could my wife have come to me?-LOH-
don Family Herald.