The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1868-08-06
An ElOpement ExIraOrdinary.
and Its Sequel.

"Burleigh" writes to the Boston Joar>
nal, from Binghampton, n. Y, the sad
details of story of crimo occurring in an
adjacent town:
A merchant of standing and wealth had
family consisting of his wife and several
children. The lady had great personal
beauty, was very accomplished and iutelli-
gent, capital housekeeper and earnest
Christian, and greatly devoted to her fami-
ly. Not far from her residence lived
young lady of twenty-three summers, tall,
coarse-teatured and as unattractive as
could be imagined. Her mother was dead,
and she kept house for her father. The
visits of the merchant to this house attract
ed considerable attention. It was known,
however, that the father was generally
present at the visits of the merchant, and
the community was generally divided
about the matter. Riding and walking
succeed ded and the scandal became general.
One morning the merchant informed his
wife that he WAS going to leave-that he
was going to sail for California and take
the girl with him. Her father, he said,
had given his consent and agreed to keep
the thing secret till after his departure
He told her that no power could prevent
his leaving. If she kept quiet until afler
he was gone he would give her the house
in which she lived and 81, 900 in money.
If she did not, he would go all the same,
but would leave her penniless. He asked
her TO fix his linen.and pack his trunk, and
have it ready by Thursday morning, all
which she agreed to do. He bought a
trunk for the girl, and gave her 5000 for
her outfit. On Thursday morning he left
his home. While his hand was on the
door-lntch, his wife told him that she
should remain just where she was and
take care of the children, and if at any
time he wished TO come back, the door
would be open to him. He went over 10
the house where the young woman was in
waiting. He gave her father some money,
and he accompanied the parties to the cars
On the way down the father referred TO
some expenses he had incurred in giving
his daughter music lessons. The merchant
handed him 5000, which he pronounced
satisfactory. After the train had started,
the old man tod the story of the elope-
ment. When some one remarked to him
that the merchant would desert his daugh-
ter as he had his wife, he said that was
impossible, for he had never seen such love
between two persons before When he
was asked why he did not put q stop to a
step that could only be fraught with mis-
cry to all sides, he said that his daughter,
when she told him OF her intended Journey,
showed hin bottle of poison, ard said if
he ODened his hend Crn The meffar iii offer
she was gone, she would poison him and
herself too. And she would have done it,
he said. The sequel TO this affair is more
than usually tragical. The parties imme-
diately sailed for California, and for some
reason not explained took the return vessel
back to New York. They landed in the
city, where the girl was left at hotel,
penniless. She succeeded in reaching this
place, deserted and ruined, and sent imme-
dIately for her father, who visited her at
the hotel She agreed to 60 home with
him in the morning. He called for her at
the time agreed upon. He found her
corpse. She had committed suicide during
the night. In the meantime, the merchant
had not been heard from after deserving
the girl at the hotel. Ten days ago he
appeared at the door of his own house
True to her promise, and true to her wo-
manly love, his wife threw the doors wide
open and bade him welcome Hidden from
the eyes of his neighbors and friends, he
remains indoors. The community are
equally divided whether he ought to be
tarred and feathered or forgiven.