Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1871-05-11
Mifssllals lsnnsV0 II
A LOUISVILLE RO NANCE.
A Renainicescence Of Old Slavery
sSh"A Days.


teens, who gave her name as Lizzie
Carlton. Nothing more was known of
her than that she was accompanied by
a young man who was, or pretended to
be, deaf and dumb, and who left at
once after aiding her in procuring a sit
uation IN the lestablishment of a Mrs.
William, a milliner and dressmaker,
on Front Street nearly opposite the
pot where Carkels New York Store
now stands.
Lizzie was handsome brunette, with
a wealth of waving hair which swept
the floor, with, a bright expressive eye
and altogether genteel and dignified in
her general appearance. From her
lad Y like department and close
att ention to the interests of her
employer she was soon made superin-
tendent of the establishment. The So
cial lines were not 80 strongly marked
and scrupulously guarded then as now,
and hence the young and beautiful
stranger was soon received in the best
cOmpany-forminga a number of friends
outside her business circle, among 9TH
ers Mrs. E., a prominent member of
the Baptist church, at whose. house Liz
:.ie was a frequent visitor. She, intime
attached herself to that church and be-
came most exemplary member.
During her visits to Mrs. E. she met
Philip Slaughter, himself one of the
pillars of the church, who after living
in single blessedness for years, enjoy
ing his wealth and family position all
alone, soon conceived a tender senti-
ment for the young and lovely sister.
Old bachelors are considered public in
solar thata lively public interest is
always manifested in their 'matrino-
NAL welfare, and hence,it was not long
after the matchmakers put their heads
together until the twain were made
one. The marriage ceremony was per-
formed at the Baptist church, then
standing on the south-West corner of
Fifth and GreenSthe Rev. Mr. Buck
officiating. The happy bride and groom
accompanied by a number of their
brothers and sisters, repaired to the res
idence of Mr.. Slaughter, about ten
miles from the city, on the Bardstown
Pike, to partake of the usual festivities
&c. -
The hOney-moen witnessed a mutu-
al growth of admiration between the
two, and not only the honeymoon but
several other moons, waxed and waned
and dripped with honey, sssWeeter than
the honey ycomb.p Alas! that mans av-
erice and brutality should break in, to
mar and destroy a scene of happiness
like this! About sunset one evening
the, door-bell. rang. Lizzie-now Mrs.
Slaughter-left her husbands bedside,
Che was confined to his room by slight
illness at this time) arranged her toll
ette and descended to the parlor. One
piercing scream, that startled the ech-
Oes and shook the rafters, aroused Mr..
Slaughter who rushed down stairs.
What was his astonishnlent and dis
may when he found his bride fainting
on the floor, and a strange gentleman,
attended by policeman, bending over
her. Sir said the stranger, I'this
woman is my slave. Her name is Me-
linda, Cass. 1 am a Mississippian-here
is the bill of sale. 1 bought her few
months before she escaped from my
home. have been on her track a
long time, and now she must return
with me.sA FERtH q HEE 4H'
The distress of this unfortunate coup
lie drew at once "a large coricourse OF
their friends, who were as much at a
loss what to advise in the midst of these
strange relations as were those most
deeply concerned. The husband, after
the first paroXysm of his grief had SUBJ
sided, vowed eternal fidelity to his
wife, bond or free and with the assist
ance of Deacon Elliott, Rev. Mr.. Buck,
and Others, it was arranged, to quiet
matters, that the stranger should be in
Identified for the loss of his slave, and
a little party of friends met at the Gait
House. where the Mississippian receiv-
ed 800 for compensation, and returned
home.
But Mr.. 8. being rather feeble-mind-
ed and easily influenced man, was so
beset by his relatives that he abandon
ed his wife, as they could not tolerate
one in such relation as that who had
one drop of African blood in her veins.
however concealed by fair exterior.
He turned the poor woman into the
street, ond she broken-hearted, went
from place to place in the capacity of a
seamStress soon after giving birth to a
son. She managed to support herself
and cid, and to bear up under all her
Inisfortunes until Mr., 8. married anot h
or. She at once took to her bed was
kindly attended by the Sister of Charity
and few of the Baptist sisters in this
city until she died ola broken heart.
Lizzie Oariten persisted to the last that
she was a pure Caucasian free wom-
an she related that her mother, a. Por-
tugueSe on reaching this county, being
dark brunette, formed the acuuaint-
ance of a wealthy planter in New Or
leans, who became so infatuated with
her that he took her to his home, andto
conceal his purposes from his wife got
her consent to pass as his servant-her
appearance enabling her to assume the
position. of a bright mulatto. Lizzie
wassthe offspring Of this illicit strategy
and the planter, dying suddenly, and