Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1871-06-03
The Old Comedy on a New Stage,

Dhe township of Kingsville says the Girard
Cosmopolite, has recently been the scene of one
of those oft recurring yet ever interesting love
comedies, in which a cruel parent and two
irreprcssible young lovers form the central
figures. The principal drdndtis persona in
the stock piece, as performed on the broad
and green stage Of rural Kingsville, were II
Holt, a well TO do farmer aud father of the
approved dictatorial pattern bis blooming
daughter ETTIE, rustic Hebe of delicious
eighteen, and youth Of just her unsophisti-
Gated years, named FRANK MERRtMAN. Ettie
had been at school in that distant region in
the east, lying adjacent to the U. g., and
known us New Jersey, and while there con
tractcd rather more than fervCnt friendship
for one of the "true Jersey Blues with whom
che continued to correspond, with the regu-
larity of an intermittent fever after her return
home. Her father not approving of this, en-
couraged the visits of young Mcrriman, as
calculated to weaken the entanglements of the
foreign alliance, which the old gentleman,
adopting the views of the Father of his coun-
try, regarded as dangerous. His success in
this direction was much more gratifying for
the living presence of the adoring Frank was
too much for the mere memory of the absent
Jerseyite, who was soon supplanted in the
affections Of Miss Elite. Franks folks favored
the growing intimacy and when Elite went to
queen it over their kitchen or, in plain par
lance, hired out to them to avoid doing out
door work on her fathers broad domain, she
was warmly welcomed and no opposition
made to the designation of an early day for
the sweet consummation of matrimonial
bond between the two families But with the
paternal Holt the case was different. That
kind Of an alliance was by no means his "bCst
holt" and armed with a lot of lormid; bic
looking, though bogus legal documents, he
presented himself at the Merriman castle and
demanded, in the name of the State of Ohio,
possession of his child. She was surrendered
and he took her home and locked her up
Watching over her with sleepless vigilance for
five days, during which time he was often
heard TO eXultingly declare "They ham't
got the upper holt of old Holt yet" On
! Friday-that unluclly day-buSiness peremp.
torily called him from his pos, as domestic
jailer and he swore in his son as a substitute.
Here was the opportunity for which the in
carcerated damsel had been watching. Making
an excuse for getting outside the house, she
fled toward the lake and, darling along its
pebbly beach, sought refuge in a iavoring
gully, from which she tiually succeeded in
making her way to the house of n sympa.
thetic friend. Instantly mounted. courieI
was dispatched to the railroad repairing shop
where Frank was employed, to notify him o
the escape He got substitute to run hi'
engine and flashing away. across the fields t,
a brother.in-law's house, where he procured
n horse and buggy, and was soon spinnin!
with his charmer toward Ashtabula and per
feet bliss. Justice KRUM Of that place, ad
ministered the legal crumb of comfort required
and Mr.. and Mrs. Mcrrman returned to Kings
vile in triumph. They evidently are believers
in the maXims Of "Go it while you're young,
and we hope their hasty conclusion will prove
the prelude to long life of happiness.