Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1866-07-19
A Southern Incident.
A STRANGE AND FATAL ELOPEMENT.

NEW ORLEANS, y une IL, loOO.
Just previous to the war an al
fair occurred in one of the Red Riv
er parishes not visited by that all
conquering chieftain Napoleon
Ipumpkin-head Banks, which hat
Sufficient of the elements of 70
nance and tragedy to form tht
basis of stunning" stage scenes
or a sensational novel of indefi
mite length.
A Confederate. Lieutenant, who
had been wounded in one of the
skirmishes that preceded the bat
tie of Mansfield, in which the pu.
issant Banks won everlasting re.
nown by the speed and disorder
with which he effected retro.
grade movement, was taken in an
ambulance to the residence of some
friends on a plantation several
miles from the theatre of military
operations. During his GONZALES
cence he became acquainted with
the young, and, l suppose, pretty
daughter of a wealthy neighboring
planter, and it was not long be-
fore the two gave evidence of a
desire to become one, pledging the
usual vows. of unbounded and
quenchless love, promising eternal
fidelity, etc.,-matters that old
fellows of forty or fifty have for
gotten all about; yet it is won
derful how some of them, even at
a more mature age, can promptly
and sufficiently go through the
whole role if occasion chance to
put them to the work.
On being made acquainted with
the state of the case, the father
of the young lady demanded an in
spection of the young mans pa
pers, desiring to know how he
stood financially with the world.
Our Lieutenant could produce a
bundant testimony of respectable
ity, of good conduct before the
enemy, etc.; but he could show
no title-deed to lands, certificates
of stock, ready money, nor other
evidence of worldly gear than his
neatly-ftted uniform and shining
sword-blade- e-therefore, the old
man, who was of obstinate resolu-
tion and fierce, implacable temper,
Andy Johnsoned the compact be-
tween the lovers-he vetoed it
and rightly Judging that, as there
were but three parties to the affair
they might nullify his decision by
q two-thirds vote, he forebade the
young mans visits to his house;
the young man went nevertheless,
and met the apple of his eye and
the joy of his heart ''by moonlight
alone" When the obdurate old
gentleman found that his authori-
ty was defed, he raved furiously,
and swore to watch for the intru-
ding son of Mars, and shoot him
the first time he set his foot upon
the premises. When the young
lady, in great terror, repeated this
10 her lover, he, not forgetful of
she storm of lead and iron he had
,ften faced in battle, laughed ct
he idea of being frighted away by
In old fellow armed with a blum
lerbuss or shotgun, who had nev-
r fired at anything in his life that
Gould pull trigger in return.
He proposed an elopement, and
he lady, notwithstanding her per-
istent declaration that her father
would kill them both, consented,
moved thereto more by love than
sense of filial duty. They fed
" night, on horseback, not scru-
'ling to take the two finest horses
n the old planters pasture, cross ]
d Red river, and struck out forIt
he Mississippi over a wretched J
Dad, through pine forests, swamps,
nd canebrakes. They reached the !
light bank of the great river in ]
afety, but the means of crossmgf1
were not then often to. be had $
romptly, and the passage was not !
ute so safe as at present, for
'ederal gunboats were constantly I
overing about, and no one could !
ell how suddenly one or a half i
oxen might come in sight. Du- I
ing their flight, the lady had kept
onstant watch over her shoulder, 8
I eyarv STRAIGHT stretch in the !