Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-08-31

From Correspondent Of the World
ELMRA, Aug. l2-For some days, a grave
looking man, about thirty-fiye years OF age,
and lady some eight years younger. with
noticeable traces OF suffering, and pale but
otherwise handsome face, have been guests
at the residence of well known gentleman
of Elmira, who is q relative of the gentleman
named. The couple are man and wife, and
with their lives is connected the following
story, for the truthfulness of which l have
not only the assurance of the host of the
parties, but the acknowledgment of the par
ties themselves.
Ten years ago Mr.. Gates was prosperous
country merchant in village i'll southern
Pennsylvania. His wife had been dead some
years, and his family consisted of himself
and his daughter Eliza, then seventeen years
of age. George Mills was II clerk in Gates
store. He was Nirginian, whose family bad
been wealthy, but who were ruined by the
war. Mills was twenty-five years of age, OF
| fine physique, and fascinating manners. Be
tween him and his employers daughter
warm intimacy grew up, which Gates was
not long in giving him to understand could
| not be tolerated.
AMI S. Timer was q well-to-do miller in
| the same village. He was one of the lead
ing men of the neighborhood, although but
suing for the hand of Eliza Gates, with the
| hearty appreciation Of her father. She, how
ever, while respecting the young miller high
| ly and proud of bis attentions, declined TO
accept his offer OF marriage, and it was un-
| derstood that her feelings toward young Mills
| were the cause of the refusal. Her father,
| however, brought his authority to bear i'll the
matter, and in September, 1867, Timer and
| Miss Gates were married.
About the first of October of the same
year the young wife. having returned with
| her husband from an extended bridal tour
| some days before, started, as she said, to
visit sick school-mate at Emmettsburg, eN-
pecting to be absent two or three days. She
took with her merely a hand-saichel, con-
| tanning change of clothes. Mr.. Gates
clerk was in the habit of opening the store
| about 80 in the morning. the proprietor
| himself putting in an appearance at eight.
| The morning after Mrs Timer had started
| for Emmettsburg old MIR. Gates went to his
store at his usual hour, only to find the shut
ters still up and crowd of wondering custo-
| mers standing about the door. George Mills,
the clerk. had not been at his boarding house
since the evening before, and inquiry elected
the fact that he had driven out of the village
about ten o'clock on that evening.
The suspicion Of both father and husband
proved to be correct Mills and Mrs. Timer
were traced as far as Wheeling, and from
| there the strictest search revealed nothing
| further as to their whereabouts There WAS
| great excitement over the affair IN the COM
| munity where it occurred. owing to the
standing of the parties. The runaway wife
| was the handsOmest and richest woman in
| the village, and always regarded as the most
retiring and circumspect. Her husband,
being popular and a favorite, had the hearty
sympathy of the people. but close, stern Dir.
Gates was openly blamed as the almost di-
rect cause of the scandalous sequel to his
daughters marriage.
Three years after the disappearance of his
daughter Mr.. Gates died He was worth
| some $50, 900, which be left to his on-in-law,
| Amzi s. Timer, attended with the provision
| that Timer must for two years after the death
| of the testator make an effort to discover
/ whether his daughter was still living, where
| and under what circumstances. II she was
| found and was destitute and needy, she was
| to receive one years interest on $1,000. at
| 7per cent, which amount was to be Iaid in
| instalments of SO week, without notifying
her whence IT came. II, at the end of one
year, she did not, without any hint or solIci-
tation on the part of the executors of the es-
tate, who were Myron Pool, a cousin of the
deceased, and AMI S. Timer. return to her
native place, repentant and willing to make
| all amends in her power for her sin, SO far
| the will of the testator desired OF required IT
were to cease. and she was to have no legal
claim thereafter upon the estate. Ii she was
found, and was still in the company of George
Mills, no matter how destitute her condition
might be- no help was to be rendered her out
of the estate. Upon the return of the run
away within the required time, and under
the circumstances named, she was to be fur
nished with such home as the executors in
their judgment thought proper and fit it for