The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1871-07-27

80 that when, shortly after, each and all
of them received an invitation to the mar
riage of that young lady, you may be
sure it created some little stir of excite
ment. In the first place, it was so entire
iy unexpected that it almost took awav
the peoples breath and secondly, what
caused the most surprise was, that the
happy man had not been selected from
the large number of country gallants of
wealth and position who constantly sur
rounded her, but was a Mr.. Williamson
of the city, who was but casual visitor,
and whose matrimonial attentions had
not been suspected in the least. 1t ap-
pears, also, that he had been so indiscreet
and lmpolite as not even to have spoken
to Mr.. Nugent about it, and knowing the
character of that oldtime gentleman, we
are somewhat surprised that the marriage
was allowed to 60 on, did we not also
know that whatever his daughter Nellie
had set her heart upon accomplishing she
could most certainly do, especially where
the fathers consent was only to be gained
Well, at length the auspicious hour
rolled round, and all the invited guests
assembled at the Nugent mansion to wits
ness the marriage of the beauty. Great
preparations had been made for the event
MIR. Nugent was determined that the
daughter who was queen of his heart
should be mated IN a regal manner
Never had the young girl looked so love-
ly, as did the bride, seated in her satin
and lace, with her attendant maids about
her, and waiting, with the love-light in her
eyes, for the happy groom. 1t was now
nearly the hour for the ceremony, and
still he had not come. "Where is Mr..
Williamson E. and, "Why don't he
come - were now frequently asked by
those who were present. The hour at
which the nuptial knot was to have been
tied struck with dismal clang, and yet
no bridegroom. The minister was there
with book and gown, the guests were
there, the beautiful bride was there,
and everything was waiting for the ap>
pearance of the tardy gentleman from the
city. The fathers brow began to darken,
and the brides cheeks began to pale
Another dismal hour wore away, aud its
death-knell was tolled by the clock, and
still no groom Another hour, and still
no groom. ''Possibly he may have met
with an accident let messengers be
sent" And messengers were sent In
haste, while the guests sat in silence, and
the bride, now thoroughly convinced that
her lover was false, rayed and sobbed like
one mad. The minutes flew away on
wings of lead until the messengers return
ed, who instead of bringing with them
Mr.. Williamson, or announcing at once
some reasonable cause for his non-appear-
ance, beckoned the father mysteriously
apart, and whispered in his ear The
news could not be kept secret, and in a
moment it was known. Ar. WWidns-
son had not contracted the marriage, and
hmea0 nothing about it. Slowly and sadly,
as if from a funeral, the guests departed,
glancing askantly at the bride, who sat
weeping before them, and shaking their
heads Significantly.
This was certainly the maddest freak
that it is possible for young lady to
commit, and the incident reads like a
chapter from Mrs. Southworth. Subse>
quent investigation showed conclusively
that the marriage had not the slightest
foundation, so far as any intention of Mr..
Williamson was concerned, and tt&ing
this fact into consideration, It is not
strange that people now began to speak
mysteriously about the young lady, and
to intimate forcibly that something was
wrong in her head. This bitter suspi-
cion began now to shape itself into the
bitter solemnity of fact in the mind of
Mr.. Nugent, and after careful pondering
Of the matter, it was resolved to have
Nellie removed to an asylum for the in
sane.
AS key to subsequent events, it is to
be presumed that she knew the intentions
of her family at the time. 1t wanted but
day or two of the execution of the asy-
lum project, when one morning it was
found that the beautiful bird had flown in
the night from the paterhal nest. But in
very little while the father received in
telligence that his daughter had eloped
with young Lieut.. Harry w. Wharton,
had proceeded with him to Philadelphia,
and had been there married, and that now,
as Mr.. and Mrs. Harry w. Wharton;
they were living at Jones' Hotel. in
Chestnut street, above Sixth, just where
the office Of the German Democrat now
stands.
This was almost as strange and unac>
countable movement as the burlesque
marriage, and caused a great deal of COM
meat. Although of acquaintance there
had been considerable between the parties,
of courtship there had been little or none,
and, furthermore, at the time of the elope-
ment and marriage the young lieutenant
knew full well that his lovely bride was
intended by her friends for a temporary
seclusion in a mad house.
But the runaway couple had not been
long from home until they received assur-
ances of forgiveness, and returnnd to the
house at Gulf Mills. They also for a
time lived at Norristown. and in Phila-
deIphia again. 1t wasn't lonp after mar