The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1868-12-30
The Beauties of Clandestine
Correspondence.
Wheeling Lads and Massa-
chusetts Lassies.
Devotion, Deception and
Desertion.
A Search for Truant Lovers
A Libertine Under an Hon
est Mans Name.
Lady students i'm the School of
Experience.
A CHAPTER OF FOLLY

marked sensation, but after the appro-
pirate amount of curiosity had been
aroused and expressed, the whole af-
fair passed from the public mind.
1t has lately transpired that their
romantic request was responded to by
couple of our gayest young men, who
had by some means obtained the adj
dress given by the fair but foolish
writers. A vigorous correspondence,
amatory of course, ensued; photographs
were exchanged and the various stages
of an immense epistolary Irritation were
passed through. Commencing in fun,
all parties became deeply interested as
the affair progressed, and finally
visit to D. was determined upon
by the parties at this end of the line
They made known their intentions to
the Massachusetts, maidens, and their
proposition, discouraged at first, was
finally acceded to.
Last winter the trip was made. The
young ladies, whom we will call Fanny
Howard AID Nettie Jones, chiefly be-
cause these are not their names, were
found to he inmates of fashionable
boarding school in the town of D..
Miss Fanny, we may remark here, was
the flame of "the man with the mus
tache," while Miss Nettie had done the
business for the chap with "the pretty
eyes," the words quoted being used by
the ladies in q subsequent description.
The position of the ladies under
ordinary circumstances would have rem
dered meeting difficult. 1t happened,
however, that the visit was made during
a vacation, when greater privileges
were allowed to those who remained in
the institution than while the school
was in actual session. The young Ia
dies in question being both orphans,
had preferred remaining in D
to visiting their guardians, and
when the delightful contingency
of seeing their West Virginia friends is
remembered, their preference will not
be considered strange. As they were
allowed by the Seminary authorities to
remain oNoI might --:IL lndv nnnua,nt.
-nces in the town, they soon arranged
for the reception of the lovers from
Wheeling, who had journeyed so far to
see them face to face. A meeting fol-
lowed then other meetings, clandes,
tine, dangerous and sweet sleigh rides
night suppers, and wine soon broke
down the last safeguards of female pu-
rity. THE old, old story was told again.
woman's frailty and mans perfdy re,
ceived a sad but unmistakable illustra-
ton. There was short delrious sea-
son of romance, and the lovers separa'
ted, the ladies to return to their school
duties, the young men to their homes.
Previous to the separation double
wedding was determined upon, but the
time not fixed. This was left for fur
ther correspondence to determine.
Finally the happy event was
set for July. Then, at the
earnest request of the gentlemen, it was
postponed until December. December
came, but before it arrived, the faithless
Lotharios had forgotten their pledges,
and ceased TO write. The girls took
counsel together and resolved upon a
decisive step. On last Saturday they
reached this city in search Of their tru-
ant lovers.
Inqniring first for Miss Fanny's hero,
and giving the name under which they
had known "the man with the mus
tache," they were directed to one of the
first business men of our city. Not be-
ing sure that card from them would
be followed by a call from the individ-
ual they desired to see, they made a
personal visit to what they supposed to
be his establishment. Inquiring for the
proprietor, whom we shall call Mr.. y.
because his name is as unlike that de-
designation as anything can be, they
were speedily confronted by a mild
hammered, kind-spoken, elderly gentle
man, the real owner of the name they
had given, but as different from'the bold
young blood they expected to meet as
dignity and age can differ from dashing
youth, the last man to engage in an en-
terprise like that in which they had I'M
fortunately become involved.
In their agitation they were unable
to enter into explanations. Both saw
that they had been imposed upon. Mis-:
Fanny burst into tears; Miss Nettie
was speechless. Mr.. y. perceived that
there. was some strange mystery as well
as trouble indicated by their embar'
raised department. Like the true
Christian gentleman that he is, he en-
deavored to relieve their embarrass
ment, and by judicious questions sought
at once to evolve the cause of theil
perplexity and to learn in what way
he could mitigate their evident distress
Won by his manner, Miss Fanny re
solved to risk revelation. She ex
planned in as few words as possible thu
cause and purpose of her mission, ant
concluded by handing him the last lette1
she had received from her dishOnorabl'
lover, to which was appended the name
of Mr.. y. himself, evidently assumet
by her deceiver to aid in the consum
nation of his scheme.
Stung to the quick to find that hi
own honorable name had been used a
an alias by so base rascal, in the per
petration of an infamy so foul, Mr. y
was doubly mortified to recognize IL
the letter before him the hand writing
of a dissipated relative, person espe