Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-09-16
How . Washington Young Lady Ont.
witted Her Father.

are familiar sayings, and are pretty gen.
orally accepted as adapted to most cases
in which stern parent lays an interdict
upon the affections of a gentle daughter.
Both Of these truisms had charming ex
emplification in this city last Saturday
we use the adjective adyisedly, for q neat
er escape from what threatened to be an
unpleasant piece of publicity never came
under our observation.
About four years since family, con-
sisting of father. mother and daughter, ar
rived in this city from Philadelphia, and
took up their residence on Capitol Hill,
in house purchased with the money of
the maternal parent of the young lady
who figures as the heroine of this nara
tive. The object of the change of base
was to permit the head of the household
to take u position in one of the depart
ments, which he had procured through
political influence. The newcomers
lived very happily in their Washington
home for about two years, when the shad-
ow of death came over their house, and
the mother was carried away to the Gem
etery.
The daughter, Nina was her name then
little over sixteen years of age, took
charge of the internal affairs of the estab-
lishment from the day of the death of her
mother, and she was acknowledged by all
who knew her to be a most excellent
housekeeper, as well as an accomplished
lady, for she enjoyed the benefits of a
good education, received at splendid
academy Just outside of her native city,
Philadelphia. The father, who was al
most notorious for his cantankerous dis
position, was more than pleased with the
way his pretty daughter managed affairs,
and was often heard to say to his boon
companions, as he took his beer with
them, that as long as Nina stuck by him
he would never think of a second wife, al
though he was by no means deficient in
the qualities that would have insured him
warm reception among the fair sex if he
were matrimonially inclined.
But, somehow or other, Nina, like the
rest of the daughters of Eve, was perverse.
and was not disposed to stick by her
parent. Indeed, she had been receiving
the attentions of young gentleman, n
Philadelphia, whom she had known AS a
boy, for some time previous to the death
of her mother. The father had noticed
this young man, and his frequent visits to
Washington, but with proverbial blind
ness had not OWNED that his daughter
was the magnet that attracted him. For
had he guessed that there was anything
out of the way he would have put his foot
down and stopped the matter at once, be
cause the swain was the son OF much
hated enemy. The sly couple probably
understood as much themselves, for the
intimate relations existing between them
were not explained TO the Old gentleman
until about two weeks since.
Ii came about in this way: The lover
was anxious 10 bring things 10 a climax.
He told Nina that she was now of age,
and therefore entitled 10 judge and speak
for herself. To this the diffldent maiden
responded that her father would ignore
all such considerations, and that he would
most certainly raise an awful row. and If
there was anything Nina hated il was u
disturbance which would involve public.
ity. But the opportunities of the lover
prevailed, and IL was finally decided that
the two should wait upon papa together.
The scene was fearful and beggars de-
scription. All the vials OF his wrath were
first poured out on Nina, and at his com
mand she sought her chamber with tears
streaming from her eyes. The young
lover was grit, however, and assured his
prospective father.in.law that he regarded
him as little better than brute to treat
| his daughter "a he did. And then came
explosion number two, this time devoted
exclusively to the lovers unfortunate
parent, who was characterized by the
irate German as all that was bad. We
forgot TO mention that the family Is
German. Such history of mcanness as
was poured into the young mans ears IL
rarely heard, and as the nearer did not be.
IA. nF "a fnth Ia.
cluded TO administer dTubbing 10 him,
which he commenced TO do on the spot,
and was only induced 10 alter his inten-
ton by Nina, who, terrified nearly to
death by the commotion and noise Of the
alteration, had returned to the room in
time to save her father from deserved
castigation.
OF course, after this affair, the house
was closed to Mina's lover, and such was
the fear in which she held her father that
she made no attempt TO see him before
his departure for Philadelphia. However,
the old man was not allowed 10 rest. The
second day after his renc0atrs with his
enemy he received "A letter formally ask
ing for Nina in marriage. No answer
was vouchsafed this. The communica-
ton was also backed by a request from
Nina, who had now become ncryed up to
asserting her rights. She declared that
she would marry the man OF her choice
despite the wishes or commands Of her
father, and, furthermore, she demanded
that he at once place the property which
he held In trust for her In such shape that
her husband might take possession OF 1t
as soon as the ceremony uniting them was
over.
The wrath which found expression in
words on the former occasion was too
great now for utterance. His daughter TO
defy him in this manneri Why, IL was
enormous. And 10 signify bis opinion of
her defiance, and 10 punish II properly, he
took her by the arm, led her TO her room,
thrust her in and turned the key on her
Here she was kept in durance several
days and not permitted 10 see anyone but
the servant who brought her meals. This
attache of the family wac suppoded to be
intensely devoted 10 It's head, but her AT.
lection for Nina outweighed her loyalty,
SO she had few computations In SNUG.
Cling letter from the prisoner, which
brought the lover on the scene, and an.
other row ensued, after which some sort
OF compromise was effected, by which
the father was TO he permitted time 10
make up his mind whether be would give
Al.