Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1875-08-06
Philip Barton Key.
AN INTERESTING LOVE STORY.

, Inere used TO be time when man step
= ped dOwnwardly out of life that the news
papers would let up on him, and hi
, memory be respected by a silence about
, anyhow. That was the spirit of the jour
nalstic fraternity in old times and it gave
healthy tone to the profession.
Who ever heard of morning daily pitch
ing into julius Caesar after Brutus haC
touched the old man up, and really given 8
line opportunity to the press for vitupera
ton OF his remains? Why. even old e
Washington Childs, then junior in the bu.
siness, refrained from obituarizing the event
through respect for the relatives OF the de.
ceased, and 1t is certain not a plea was put
into position in reference to the dead man ::
former life, intrigues or business qualif-
cations.
Those days are gone. however. and with
the metanorphosis and notifications Of life
and the social system, quite the reverse is
now the style. When a man dies nova
days he just gives himself to mankind. and
the ten thousand systematic gossip-gabbers
of the third estate, walk through his career
from Observation-Disclosures days to the
undertaker's s bill. and having grubbed out
interesting matter from SO extensive field
shoulder their jaws and enlighten palpita-
ting-l believe that's what they call it-a
palpitating public with the result.
The death, month ago, OF Butterworth.
Sickle 5 friend in his little affair with Key g,
started up the grubbers on their kee veevs
respecting the details Of that tragical busl-
ness, aud Oace started into the details they
haven't quit detailing yet. | remarked one
idiotc as well as untruthful fIw Of gush.
that appeared in some one of the prominent
Western sheets. bearing upon the domestic
life OF Mr. Philip Barton Key. that was 50
n n fs M n
abuse OF an unfortunate man, that con-
eluded-" "a it was Sunday. and hot,
and Bs have nothing to dol conclud-
ed that would sit down and correct mat
terS
The object Of the letter was, among other
things, To show how Barton Key used to
fool his neighbOr, long before he met the
man that dI-arranged him eternally for an
active business man. How Key never loved
any woman; how he acted a. mutual friend
I between TWO loyers-a young army officer
and beautiful girl Of Baltimore; how be
intercepted their letters. introduced suSpl-
clon. brought about coOiness, broke up
matrimonial arrangements altogether. and
,Ii through pure cu-sedness married the
girl himself. the lover dying. | believe, and
the curtain descending u slow music and
blue lights. Then hey, with evil pretense
and malice aicrethOugnt, informed his wife
OF the iacts. makes statement TO her
which guarantees her into the belief that
She : united 10 a slice Of the cement day,
and her face grows thinner and her young
cheeks are blanched with the inger-marks
OF death she pines and, pining, dies.
have an old and esteemed friend here.
OF whom most of you know, and thpse Who
DO not have not Yet the completed history OF
tie times. She l. lady of seventy-sx
years-wa> two weeks Old when her father
crapet hi- queue 10 20 as pall-bearer ia
General Washington funeral, bu. to this
day straight, active. and handsome. and
young IN spirit, though her curls are gray
and face thinned The same time thar
wears 20 hard upon most OF Us seems to
pass by her, anu the lady who was society ; /
queen when Andrew jackson held the I
Presidential reins Is not an aged woman,
now.
50 with Mrs General Eaton the other day /
| went back a generation and saw Philip /
Barton in his early years. and with the .
only woman he ever loved
Virginia TiubeTlake, daughter OF Mrs.
Eaton. by her first marriage, was one of the
LOWEST women IN the world. Sac was the /
supreme belle OF Washington, and pretty
much of the entire South.
Blrtln Key was tail, handsome young
Reckl -, dArc-ieyil and dashing, he was
Just tue sort OF animal that captivaied the
female heart, without being captivated him
>slt. He never fired any reciprocity un-
tll he met Virginia Undertake. That mys-
terl0us elCctc flash OF mutual love respond
Cd and found response in each heart; their
souls found a complement 10 each other,
and their business was settled as thorough
ly il they had sat up about 1t Of nights Tor
months.
Key began bis addresses then as an ac-
ceptei lJver-aecepted by the young lady,
bl. NJ, mach if any, bv her fond parents
lie was not the sort vi sOn-ln-law
careful mother or cautious paternal an
cestor could desire. Trained IRON infancy
to follow the bent Of his own sweet will, he
had been for years engaged in following out
that training lie vas his own mentor and
eynced NJ b appreciation Of his capacity
IN that line, by doing and bOas.lng of a.
way- doing precisely aS he pleased.
Il have seen hey. then a young man,
Just beginning lie as a .iwyer." SAID Mrs.
Eaton to ne. when visiting my daughter.
~ 10 the siIeb,ard and, without breath
between, drink off two g0bets OF the
strongest brandy
1t was the cus'om to have the buffet furn-
i-hed Tor all hands in those days. and ne
never l-s- an opportunity of utilizing the
furniture. Ev,Ty gentleman'S residence
was p iree-lunch establishment. lie was a
Wild inehriate. On one occasion he rode
hI- horse clean through the yestibule doors
OF Mrs. Eaton : mansion. through the hall
way. and vas preparing 70 canter up 10
Miss Virginia : room In the second story,
when the household took him in charge.
Ihis sJTt OF love making was more ardent
than convenient, and putting all thiogs t.
gethtr, 1t WAS deemed advisable to separate
the couple, and Key was forbidden to visit .
the house One might a. well forbid a 7
fly 10 examine bald head in fly time.
How tender a comparison. Clandestlne
meetings were held. notes passed, and tryst
Ing places chosen. There wasn't tree
III our garden he didn't change into 1--we
post-ofice, - explained my oid friend. II
often wonde:ed why he hung about the
garden and It was only alter a month
that We understood the cause, and fou nd
remedy OF entire banshment with the ser
wants on the watch a. well
But love laughs at mothers and lock
smiths, and durlog this season of contra
bandase the pair started out on two elope-
ments; they were captured each time,
however 9
When Key was in Baltimore for brief d
visit. Mss Virginia. mother seized the !
golden opportunity. and sent her daughter
off to relations in Winchester. think, some
city in the centre OF the old State. =,
She was in = loye-lorn state then. the
young lady, and as a thorough espionage !
was kept over her postal arrangements, !
and as none but the immediate family knew
OF her retreat, matters looked blue enough
indeed. But lovers sigh bresthed on {
heavens breeze is waited TO the loved one, a
and Barton Key had friend somew where-
q bird, or breeze. or breath of heaven-that {
told him all, and brought him 10 his ,et-
hearts side. ,
Imagine tat n the stupen ious astOnishmenr :
in the Eaton household hen a letter from
their daughter arrived describing a iste in {
W inchester and telling fondly, that ''oi all !
the proud and dIsting guished assembly TO /
her eyes, the pr1udest and most distinguish T
ed one was Philip Barton Key !" a
That settled the Winchester visit, aud
Miss Virginia was transported to Rich +,
mUnd Key got desperate now, and one !
cannot blame .hc poor devil If he did lie :
drank ard played then suddenly a thought ..
struck him-sOmeihing new and original in
the penslye line-and be wrote his beloved.
planned nesting and marIise. They had
planned and endeavOred to execute such ar
before, but with iadiff rent r
success. This one must succeed. v
She was returning home. At early morn c
he rode on horseback beyond the Long L
Bridge into Virginia. He had the license
ready. the minister at hand, and the mar t
rage ring. The brides equipage drove p
up, and the ceremony Was beginning. c
" hen. 10 in not haste, with troupe OF re- fl
lainers. DR. krump, the guardian OF Miss $
Virginia, brCKe in upon the scene and for
bide the bans Key rayed and swore; the
young lady tainted; the preacher looked o
hungry and scared; the horses in one of the C
started of in a runaway and thing n
previously commingled were now mixed. (
DR.. Krump compromised by assuring the q
young gentleman in the affair that all the i,
past would be overlooked, and the stern Il
parents reent. But they didn't relent. Il
Keys father ielt now that something Il