Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-07-25
ElODement.

The daughter Ot Capt. Harold, OF the regu-
lar a my, and stationed at Fcrt Hamlltoo, New
York, eloped last week, as retotOra stated,
with member of the band here who played
% the coroet Tn, Brook}n Eagle says:
Thc supreme disgust that must have filled
the miud OF the romautc girl who 80 tooisnly
Lift her home on Tue sday last. when she found
herself the inmate of South Brooklyn lager
beer saloon, can be Imagined but DOT describ; d.
The transformation from the pretty cottage OF
her ia her at the fort to the foul air apd un
eonpenia atmosphere Of the upper rooms of a
lager beer saloon aDd eating house must have
been great, even 20 girl so intent upon love
81 was Miss Harrnd. In the fierce heat Of
T. a. day she sat iu hcr new -fouad home, aud
if any maiden Of eighteen ever had time for
intrrspacrioD and regret, she had At leisure
sbe could rumiuate over the past few hours and
dwell upon the changes they had brought to
her thr ugh her own Wllulness. She had
pleuty of time for rest aud solitude, tor her
vulgar coupan,ou had sought the NOR congo
uiaI company below stairs aud was regallng his
new atouaintauces with the account OF his
wonderfully successful feat.
H. had bu, jus accomplished the misery of
an entire famly-had broken father's and a
mothers heart, and had blasted the reputation
and corrupted the virtue of young girl whose
wi.Iiuucss made her au easy prey. She had
Gefed her father at last, and was safe 10 the
protecting care of her chosen lover. Was she
happy2 Imagine the thoughts OF woman so
reared as she had been, aud 50 surrounded as
she was, and parallel her feelings. l. is aD i'm
possible thug to dO and 40 one VITO has not
knowu the situation can picture 1t correctly
Fears were futile; they did not avail. The
"a ! a Min a ,loa.
in them than she dl.t in th" untu6l!ed promises
of her low horu blower. He was vulgar
cur, or he would not have permitted her to 10
with ber swollen eyes Into public saloon to
ear dinner of corned beet ami oibbsgt alou.
slde of fifty or more meu. 1t was sad begin
piBg Tor a rouauce that had been 50 prett!ly
Imagined down 10 the oooi shade and under
the shadow of the cliff.
Fort Hamilton. to 80 officer daughter, is
sery dtfereot place from Brooklyn lager beer
saloon, particularly in iy 'lma and when the
thermometer is 10 he hundreds. Even love
could not compensate for the vugarlty she eu-
dured, nor cuu d it blind her 10 The realization
OF che fact that she had not taken loto account
aoy chaoge of scene when she was planning out
she romance that was but begun.
The picture as she conc .ived it had many
accessories all requisite for lis perfected 6nlsh.
Th"re were the lroder. watchful pareu,s to be
eluded-that was a romantic occupation OF It
self-then the servants to be eluded-that re-
auired many whispered consultations 90 the
part Of the twain. Then there We're her fathers
friends, the offers families at the fort, these
were TO be stunned, Tor whatever else she be-
iieved OF her lover she knew that he Was not
the ass cate OF such people, and her stories to
him of their prosecutions 10 the shape OF social
attentions were pathetcal'y told aud We're as
tenderly depored. He must have hated them
for their worth and power to be genuine. Ii"
never had been, never could be, aud knew, II
his rough, coarse na,urc knew anything, that
he richly deserved dogs fate lor the wrong he
was doing family that were unaware OF his
conduct
The sequel however, is cur concern, not his
course. for whatever else my be said of that, tho
,ru forces itself upou all minds thar but Tor the
ready ACCEPTANCE of the girl Of MS advances, ne
would never have cross d the path oil that or aoy
other decent fam ly. The fate Of all women who
st ,op to meet love that is beneath them
awaits her. If she becomes the wife OF the
mat she has set herself against the world to
take for bitter or tor worsa--and by this ume
she aust know il is for WuIse-She Will rqulre
she strongest of wills to make life eudurabe.
She has neither mental nor moral discipline,
hencc, OF course, she was wrecked the momeut
she refused her parents the right to be her
meutor in both thes. essential attributes.
She, being a woman uld have found lite
hard iu the most carefully considered path, and
az hers is not OF this kud her misery must al
WAYS be great The curtain falls over this
heart tragedy 10 real life just as it does 10 the
play, when the climax has been reached. From
that point the work behind the scene Is hidden
from public view. Down from one degrade
ton to another. slowly past hope, faith, youth,
love, the poor girl will drift, and at LIST in som.
fearful gale between them the unevenly ynked
ecupl, will be separated and the wreck of
ruucd lie will be seen stranded By the tide.
Where will pity for her then b, found? Where,
indeed, now?
EkarykjnS :