The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-05-08
A CHILD OF ROMANCE.

A SCHOOL GIRL ELoPEs WITH HER ROOM MATES
BETRorHED-Two DESERTED LovERs-A May
ING PARTY THAT NEARLY ENDED IN
TRAGEDy-sAvED FROM SUICIDE
ELDRED, Pa, May O. 1875
Among tho young people Of the best crceS Of Edred
Bcssic" Cookton, aged sixteen, adopted daughter or
Jerome Cookton rich farmer, acknowledged
leader. She recently returned homo from Philadel
phia boarding school, whcro she had been pupil for
four years, making occasional sits home On ono Of
those visits about year ago. she met Ava Evans tho
son Of iron founder of London, Canada He war
visiting this section with party Of othor young
for the purpose Of trout fishing. Evans fell in love
with Miss Cookton Tho result that correspond.
opened and kept up between tho two and
marriage fixed upon, to DO consummatcd when Miss
s'Blcss,e should have reached the ago Of eighteen
The roommate aud particular friend" Of the young
lady at school Frances Peters, Of Pctcrsvlc N Y
She two years the OF Bcssc left school
some time before the latter Miss Peters is blonde
exceedingly attractive and OF dashns and reckloss
nature. At the house OF friend In Philadelphia sho
met Isaac Bell young man. represented to DO OF az
old family aud wealthy, Tho young people formed an
attachment: for each other-at least Miss Peters cu
deeply In ovo with Bell AS her parents had othei
matrimonial prospects marked out for her at home she
kept her acquaintance with young Bell
A SECRET
from them but, II secms, promised to marry him at
some future day. No. being abo to have lover
visit her at homo Mss Peters made an arrangement
with Miss Cookton by which she to pay latter
a VISIT when Mr. Boil TO 60 also and stay a few
days To add to the completeness of the arrangement
Bcssc" wrote to her Canadian betroihcd aud no was
to join the visiting party
Miss Peters came 70 Eldrcd about the middle of April
and in few days thereafter Isaac Bell made his APP
pcararce. Miss NBcsse'' liked him from the rst. II
was near the latter part OF April before Mr.. Evans
camo from Canada. During tho two weeks that had
elapsed the coming Mr. Bell Miss Cook ton had
transferred her affections her friends berothcd and
his love toward Miss Peters had vsiby grown cold IL
did not ako the jealous eye OF Miss Peters and tho
young Canadian long TO notice the change, as Il
Affected them respectively, but they had idea that IL
was anything more than atcmporary Irritation. On tho
arrival Of young Mr. Evans ''Blcssie planned
MAY DAY PARTY
for an excursion to the mountains On Wednesday
morning the party started In accordance with previous
arrangements, Miss Cookton and Mr. Evans Que car
riagc and the visiting couple another. On reaching
the woods tho party sroled at random They natu
rally got somewhat separatei but while Miss Peters
and the Canadian always hallooing distance of
each other u seemed that the other couple stroed
further away. Tho occasion seemed be
OF no pleasure to Evans and Miss Peters,
and they, after an hour SO, met tho
edge OF the woods and sat down to wait the vi
the other couple They sat there talking an hour
or more, and rs tlorc yet sign either Bell or
Miss Cookton both Evans Miss Peters betrayed EVIL
dcnce of uncasncss alarm The Canadian told his
companion 70 remain In her seat, and he would walk
fearful she had lost her way lie was absent long
time and finally returned looking pale aud anxious.
He had nothing Of either Of tho missing young
GREATLY AGrrArrp
over the result OF his search, but neither she NOS
Evans at that time entertained the slightest suspicion
that tho prolonged absence OF the two by design
or that they were together They returned 10 the farm.
give an alarm and have thorough search mado They
found that tho conveyance IN winch Evans and
"besseS had come was gone For the nrst time
TkaRIBLE SUSPICION cRossED THEIR MINDS.
farmer told them that young man ana
young woman bad como oil the mountain
rapidly OIL in the direction OF Minot station Evans
would not believe that The conduct OF " Biessie and
Bell was anything more than gIrlish prank, and was
confident that they would find them at home On
reaching the farm they found they were st absent
Miss Peters hssscacd 10 her TO hide her emotion
In few minutes she sought and found Evans walking
ID the yard and PLACED note In his hand read a.
follows
given up hope You will DO brave enough
think & q s sss mS cruel m n tho
nor 10 father and mother We going married. and
s g T. ssp '9 %
hope he had learned o hate before this &c.
Evans coolly handed tho note back to Miss Peters.
and remarked quietly
am glad have found tho young lady out before
II was too late"
ATTEMPTED SUICIDE
The samc evening he was driven to the railroad and
matter very calmly Mss Peters. however, was found
lying In her bed, about seven o'clock the even
Ing, covered with blood. With small pcnknifc she
had severed tho large OF both arms and was
nearly unconscious from loss of blood Bot Tor the
timely discovery oil her situation she would have
been past all aid Her wounds were bound up and
doctor summoned, who now has her In charge. Hes
parents were sent for aud arrived here this morning
They will remove their unfortunate daughter TO hos
home as soon MS thcy can with safety.
ROMANTIC HISTORY.
"i'cssc' Cookton has a cmarkabic history. She was
found, IN the summer Of 1860 ON the doorstep of
Farmer cookton's house, IN basket Accompanying
the infant was this NOTE
III. ehIs father the Of ofshe United
IA - Vim l44b 0s
% christ and cannot bsar the thought this innocent
creature growing In Il there
nr y hers It's little weary aud like tho icai
jesus has u" place To lay It's head Turn but
Keep u. tor the love Of christ aH
The child was bright little thing, aud, the farmer
mad no children, he aud his wife concluded ~ adopt
As Their own II be such a sunshine IN the
house that they gavc the name of "BIcsslng" which