The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1875-11-24
ROMANCE AND RExLrrY.


ROMANCE AND REALTY.
We try TO think that, in spite Of Adams
unlucky slip there is still some good in every
human being but we must confess that cases
frequently como to orr notice which almost
persuade Us that We can keep our faith only
By making occasional exceptions. For in
stancc, here il a homely repetition Of the old,
old story, Of womal's trust and man pcrfldy,
in which "a weIlknown judge, " gray-haired.
and the father OF notherless daughters, plays
a part 30 unmanly ana so shameful as to for
bid the vagraut surmise of redeeming fea-
ture in his makeup. The story comes from
Kansas, and runs Hike this;
Tho well-known judge, . being widower,
advertised In the Eastern papers for wife !;
and romantic girl away down in Maine ans
wered it. In due time they exchanged photo
graphs the judge sending picture of young
and handsome face, instead Of the shadow Of
his own scanned aud sknotted aud wrinkled
countenancc; and, finally. he wrote to her
that he was sick, and asked, her to come ON
and nurse him till health was restored, and he
would marry her. OF course. the girl went
to him, and then her eyes were opened. The
ehticing lace she had dreamed of was fraud,
the wealth he had offered her was not to be
found, the beautiful mansion in which she
was to DO mistress was only rude little
wooden dwelling whose floors were uncarpet-
cd, and whose ceiling she could reach with
her hand. In the nightmare of her disap-
pointment, she fled from the place, alone and
penniless, and walked to neighboring town,
thirty miies distant, where she arrived almost
crazed with fatigue and hunger, and where
she died few days later in raving delirium
The doctor called 1t typhoid fever, but mur-
der would have been a better name.
If this " well.known Judge ;, felt anv re-
morse when he heard of the poor girls death
there is nothing IN the story to show II ue
cody packed up the wedding CLOTHES she had
brought with her and gave them to the kind
lady who had cared for her in her sickness
aud then he went back to his law and his poli-
tics. If his ncighbors denounced him, per-
sonally or otherwise, all mention of the fact
has been carefully kept out of the local pa
pers. Even his name has not been seen out
for the scorn of good people everywhere
They probably thought it capital joke on
the old man that his device of the counterfeit
picture had come to naught so quickly when
his true face had been exhibited and the
wags of the place, no. doubt, had their own
sport over his imaginary mansion, his myth
cal wealth, add the wonderful lies he told about
his travels in Europe. 1t was all so udicrous.
And then, to think that tile girl really came,
and at sight of him turned away in disgust
and left the town. 1t was very, very funny.
The girl was in her grave, to be sure, and the
poor, foolish thing was to be pitied but the
well-known Judge" was yet siiye and a.
broad to be butt for jests and an object to
laugh at. Perhaps they'll run him for the
Legislature this very Fall.
If the girl had any relatives or interested
friends back in New England or elsewhere In
the world, she was too weak or too proud to
make ir known. But she was woman. and
there is n moral In her store which tbosa ~