The Placer herald., 1873-12-06
A SINGULAR STORY.

Inc New ork Vorld publish ed the fol-
lowing singular narrative:
In 1866 school girl of this city, not
lnoreSthan sixteen years old and half or.
pl'an, shocked her widowed mother and
other relatives by runaway marriage with
young man whose acquaintance she had
clandestinely formed during her educational
career. The wedding was solemnized some
where on Long Island, and soon after the
youthful bride returned alone TO her home,
quietly informed her pleased and puzzled
mother IL. her hu band was too poor to
support her just yet, but would come for her
as soon as be could obtain employment
profitable enough to justify housekeeping.
Maternal tendencies welcomed her back
without exacting questions ,r condition, and
save by letter, there was no communica ton
bel tween herself and bridegroom for several
mouths. Finally, however, the young man
appeared at the house, and had brief pri-
vate interview with his wife. He had found
it impossible, he said, to obtain in this city
tie employment he desired, and was resolved
consequently to go elsewhere. What con-
versation thence ensued was never repeated
hy the wife, but the parting was cold, and
for several succeeding days the former school
girl spent much of her time in hystcrical
tears. And from that time forth she never
saw nor heard any more of the needy, i'm.
proyident partner Of her matrimonial
folly.
AT the end Of a year, when her mo'he,
died, she resumed her maiden name, and
became a school teacher. In another year,
when n family friend in California wrote to
her that at Groy, III lba, State, there war
a fourishing school which she might take
ON highly pr, ftable terms, she journeyed Ia
The Pacific.
Here again she CHI h'nged her name, taking
that of her mothers family, for the purpose.
II is supposed, of making less likely any
identification with the circumstances of he.
Eastern history. Such an experience as
hers had been is always more or less blunt
ng to the more delicate traits of feminine
character
After nearly five years of The most cir
cnmspect bearing as "A teacher at Gilroy, the
heroine of our story allowed herself to be
attracted by an advertisement in literary
paper of San Francisco, wherein person,
WHO styled himself lonely miner at Grass
Valley, solicited correspondence with some
lady as lonely as he. In this lea Of line
in ess there was, perhaps, some peculiarly
sympathetic appeal to The unspoken feeling
OF the poor teacher. At anyrae, she wrote
to the advertiser, who answered promptly
and gratefully; and then succeeded stated
Interchange of letters, in which was devel-
oped growing fascination for both writer's.
Neither scribe told much of the past, their
thoughts seemed all in the present; and
after a few months tronscendental postal
friendship, the miner besouglt the school
mistress to come to Grass Valley and be-
come his wife, and was not denied 1t
should have been told before that, previous
to del arlure from New York, the | ride O.
day had obtained divorce. Further
more, she believed that death had more eff
feetually widowed her. Hence her conduct
in the above matter was devoid of any
particular moral turpitude 1t was, never
'heless, an equivocal proceeding. and not
without meriIed forebod ng of evil conse'
quence did she start, a ior'nigl ago, on her
journey to the home of her unseen suior
lhe stage was stopped and robbed oi its
treasure by hishwaymen, just before reach
ing Grass Valley; and, upon the arrival at
the latter place, the bride was no less un-
nerved than the other passengers. She was
met at the station by the expectant miner, "A
sturdy, heavily beared man, who had a
clergyman at hand, and, while excitement
about the robbery was at it's height, the
lady still confused by it, the wedding cere-
mony was performed by candlelight. The
people around them scarcely understood the
scene until it WIS nearly completed; and
then, as the bridegroom approached 10 offer
his first kiss, The bride added new sensa-
ton to The prevalent confusion by drawing
lack wi h a scream, and fell senseless to the
floor. Simultaneously the man started back
with a startled exclamation and before a
question could be asked he had disappeared
rom the house. When restored TO con.
sciousness, the late school mistress raved
and sobbed hysterical'y bout chat man!
oil that mani" and would say nothing else;
and in the morning, says the Nevada Tran
script, when the stage started upon its re-
turn, took her hurried departure for Gilroy
ag;,in, III such q condition of nervous ex-
element that no one dared to ask her the
meaning Of the mystery.
As the miner had seemed TO share the
sudden terror IN the marriage ceremony; and
deserted the scene 30 abruptly, there arose
the suspicion that he might have been rec
ocuized as one OF the robbers WHO had
p'uudered the stage coach. Such an in
citent would not have been impossible in
such place. But that was not the solution.
Alter nearly seven years, the lonely miner
OF Grass Valley, and the schoo. mistress
of Gilroy, had detected in each other the
deserted child wife and vagabond bride
groom of lhe clandestine marriage on Long
Island. rs.e