Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1868-11-11
4 RICHMOND ROMANCE.
A Virginia Maiden in Il Boys Attire
TO-

a Virginia Maiden in q Boys Attire
All for Love.
Commission houses and their counting
rooms have little of romance about them,
and consequently they are the last places
where the world looks for the romantic
But very recent developments in Rich
mond establishment have very beautifully
illustrated that line of Waller Scots that
Love rules the camp, court, grove, and mart"
and sheds its influence untrammeled as the
sunshine, investing with its warmth aud
brightness the darkest and most unin-
wiling places.
Tive months or more ago, a vacant
! clerkship in the house referred to was ap-
piled for and filed by youth apparently
about sixteen years Of age. He applied
in response to an advertisement of the
firm" Wanted, youth, who can write a
good hand, and come well recommended"
Dat OF sixty odd applicants our hero Cor
heroine) took the palm for the neatness,
legibility, and regularity of his chirogra-
ply; was sent for, presented himself and |
was installed in the position of entry clerk. |
He displayed remarkable aptitude for bust |
ness; was quick and accurate at figures
ever ready TO run an errand, or lend q |
hand at anything that was to be done. 10 |
manners he was polite; blushed when |
looked at or spoken 10 wept when chided |
by his employers, or chafed by his fell /
lOw-clerks because of his peachy cheeks, /
feminine figure, and general girlishness of
appearance. Time wore on. The busy |
season came, and brought with it gem
tleman from beyond the Blue Ridge who
had occasional dealings with the house.
Desiring TO examine the stock, the entry
clerk was called from his stool aud in
struCted to show the gentleman over the
floors. Their eyes met, those of the
strange gentleman and the entry clerk
the gentleman stammered Great God - |
and staggered into a seat the clerk
blushed scarlet TO his eRr-tops, then burst
into tears. Then came The deaORemeaL
The gentleman explained that he recog-
nized in the clerk the lost daughter OF
citizen Of his county; that she ran away in
August last and had since been m curned
by her parents and friends as dead, As they
could gain no tidings of her whereabouts
or fate, though all the considerable towns
of the State, including Richmond, had
been searched by the father in person,
aided by the police.
The daughter in clerkly disguise then
explained, as best she could between sobs
and il was ''the old story told again" She
had loved aud seen her love thwaried by
parental opposition, the most relentless and
unfeeiiUg Her lover, youthful as she, be-
ing also opposed 10y his parents, left his
home soOl after, and came to Richmond,
where he was not long in obtaining en-
ployment. A secret correspondence was
opened between the two, aided By other
parties.
This lasted for some time, and strength
ened the cords of affection, drawing the
twain nearer each other, though separated
by The misty mountains and many miles Of
cruel space At last, in one of tho e fatal
moments Of a girps weakness, she resolved |
to give up all for love home, and heaven,
too, if need be-and left the house one Evil
night, when the family we're "a - nt,
equipped IL her brothers Sunday sui., ,e-
termined 10 join her lover in Richmond.
This she did DO; and though he-timid
boy-was a, first frightened at the step his
sweetheart had taken, she, by artful stories
Of her treatment at home, infused into him
a manly spirit, and he-bold boy-resoyed
to become the protector Of innocence,
while he buried the secret of her sex in
his own bosom. He took her TO his board
ing-house, procured for her room sepa-
rate aad apart from his owa. 1t was agreed
between them that she should preserve her
iac0quit0, aud sink her sex and identity III
male apparel. Thus, with his assistance,
ia this disguise, she had sought and ob-
tanned the position of entry clerk in The
establishment where she was discovered as
we have related
We'll, having told her romantic story, the
girl, who shall be nameless, gave the ad-
dress finer lover; a messenger was die
patched for him, and he came. He made
a clean breast of it, confessing all They
had both been industrious, working hard,
each, in their situations, with the one
object 10 view, and that was marriage, so
soon as they had accumulated enough
money 10 procure a bridal rousseau, rent
chambers, and set up housekeeping. The
respective parents of the truant lovers
were informed by telegraph Of the situa.
ton Of affairs, and they telegraphed back
q. once, Marry them aad send them
home"
One day lat week witnessed the return
and reconciliation beyond the mountains.
May the couple who have attained the
fruition OF earthly bliss through such tribu-
lation have scores Of children, aud live to