West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1877-09-29
A Curious Case of Infatuation.

Jennie June, writing from New York
City TO the Baltimore Amcriodn, says
1t is generally supposed that when
beautiful young women harry elderly
men they do it simply and solely as
matter of husinesS-so much Young
flesh and blood for SO much money-and
there is little sympathy for either side N
the bargain does not turn out rs good as
was expected. A young lady of Brook
lyn has recently, however, reversed all
the traditions i'm this respect. She is
an only daughter and Che apple of her
parents eyes. She is extremely pretty
and petite, with a rose leaf complexion.
plump yet delicate form, and pro-
fusion of golden brown hair. She has
been educated at home exclusively and
seen but little of the world, except one
year spent abroad. This trip was pro-
Jected in order TO get rid of an attach
ment which, TO her parents horror she
had formed for man of nearly sixty
years old, who was i'm the habit of visit
ing her father occasionally, but who
took advantage of the privileges ac-
corded to his age, and of still some
what fine and even distinguished per
sonal appearance, To make passionate
love 30 the daughter. He is very poor
man, so poor that his board and washing
bills are always in arrears, and he is
overwhelmed with debts for personal i'm
dulgences for which he never thinks of
paying.
All this has no effect upon the girl.
She insisted upon hurrying home; and
the parents, really knowing but little of
him, after "A hard contest finally gave
n conditional consent, their daughter to
first accompany her mother abroad for a
year, and il she, on her return, desired
to marry her elderly lover, they would
no more oppose it, but pay his debts and
give him home at their house, for they
have abundant means, and the daughter
has every advantage that wealth could
bestow.
"A few months ago the mother and
daughter returned from Europe. the
daughter still determined on an alli-
ance so repulsivc TO her family that the
thought had made her mothers hair turn
gray. But, in the meantime, her father
had made himself acquainted with some
previous passages in the mans career,
and as soon as possible after her arrival
placed them strongly before her. The
man was proved to be a thoroughly un-
principled old scamp, the father of an
illegitimate child, whose mother he had
refused to marry-the boy, now fifteen
years of age, supported and kept at
school by his mothers daily labor. He
had even been compelled 10 leave one
place to escape lynching, and left every
where in debt. The father with tears
told his daughter he could not let her
marry such n man, and that her death
would be almost preferable. He pic
tured her ten or fifteen years from this
time, in the flower of womanhood (she is
not yet nineteen), with a husband de-
crepit and helpless, whom she could not
even respect. But IL was all of no avail.
She insisted that he had been abused,
wronged, and said it was the one desire
of her life to be able to comfort his re-
naming years, and smooth his pathway
TO the grave.
There seems to me something radi-
cally wrong and morbid about case
like this and think her parents would
be justified in taking strong measures
to save their daughter from her self
imposed fate. If they do not, she will
certainly blame them some time for their
failure TO rescue her from her situation
and should she ever die, as she threatens,
her death would be easier borne than
the long, horrible sacrifice to which she
wishes TO cOnsign herself.