The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-07-31
fCh,cago Times.I

uATus "sroOp HIS GROUND LIKE A MAN.
fChicago Times.I
There boards at the Garden City hotcl
an sherman street, young man cy Tue
NJ anne OF NJ. ID. Lee. clerk In tie Office o.
the United States Express Company. Mr.
Zee X In the depth OF dependency, having
heen the victim of a ridiculous practice
Joke. and for the time being he Is HAVING
very little 10 saw. The young gentleman u
nosscssed OF average intelligence, and bu'
Tor an unfortunate weakness for the fail
soy. based on knowledge OF human ma
ture CLEANED from the industrious perusa
OF yeilow-backed literature aud machine
dogecrel OF the sentimental type, he might
have gone through the years OF bis nstura
life without once obtruding the fact OF bis
existence upon the public. He was very
romantic sort OF person. whose luxurious
imagination was fed on dresms OF knightly
conquests OF radiant beauties. His nature
was weakly practical, and his scrap'book
was filed with sIushy raphsodies, puerilt
illusions treating of blushing maldeDs,
beart-sick lovers, and the like.
This weakness came TO the knowledge OF
three or four OF his fellow-boarders, and
for three or four months they have been
working up
AN ELABORATE sELI
By playing on II. The parties to this plot
10 trifie with his tender sensibilities and rot
him OF bis peace Of mind were William
RYAN, one OF Field Il Letters clerks; +. Z.
Donne,an, law student; ID. A. Cameron,
Edward Daley, and one OF two Others
They went about the mopstrous scheme
with cruel deliberaiion. DonDelan, being
n versatile genius. was selected TO carry II
out. The first thing he did WAS to sit him
down and write an epiStle to Mr.. Lee. But
let the plot unfold Itself:
The next morning he received the note,
which proved to be from young lady who
protested TO have become smitten Of his
many charms at church the previous sun
day. She apoIogized for the boldness and
seeming immodesty Of writing to him, but
she was so anxious TO form his acquaintance
that she would run the risk Of incurriDg
his dispIeasure by asking him to meet her.
Again she asked his pardon for her shock.
ing etirontery, but expressed the hope that
he would not think her less the lady. The
signature, 10 fine Italian hand, was
" Hattie Luddiugton."
The impossible Lee made an appoint
ment, but Hattie was not there. The next
day came an epistolatory apology, and The
day following that a note announcing her
depai ture for an adjacent town. From this
sprang up highly-nteresting correspond
ence. In the first
INTERCHANGE OF LETTERS
they were mutually addressed to "my
friend" but this soon changed to "my dear
friend" and from that IL was only step 10
"my dearest friend" "my best and truest
friend" "my daring," "my best beloved"
and so on through the scale OF gu,h, the Or
binary style OF closing, toward the last, be-
ing "your lover, devoted"
Several plans were laid for meetings. but
they all fell through, and one day letter
reached the Garden City Hotel announcing
the departure OF the lady for Saratoga.
Tender missiyes kept coming and going be-
tween Long Branch, New York, Saratoga,
and Chicago. AS the letters grew more
ELUSIVE more space was required, and the
Y bills for postage increased. Eventually
il took four or five closely-written pages to
q letter, and these pages were covered all
over with the outpourings Of two poetic
souls with but single thought. Long be-
fore things reached climax the enamored
youth had sent his Hattie his photograph,
and had received in return the counterfeit
of lovely woman. This set
tied it with him, and completely lulled any
faint suspicion that may have found lodg-
ment In his breast that everything might
not be strictly "square." From that point
he laid himself wide open, and revealed to
his adored the most sacred secrets OF his
innermost heart. He told her bow lone!y
he was, how he longed to meet her, and
Just yearned to clasp her loved form to his
breast.
She In turn confded to him much valua-
BILE information relating to her history. She
told him she was the
DAUGHTER OF GENERAL LUDDtNGTON,
of Richmond, Va. how the old gentleman
and all of his family adored and worshippCd
the name OF Lee, and how there would be
great rejoicing and slaughter OF juvenile
cattle when her attachment for such noble
Young man as he must be should be an
nounced. The only obstacle in the way OF
complete happiness was her irascibe guar
dian uncle, Colonel Payson A. Luddington.
who was represented TO be O very tough old
patty, chock full of gall and NORWOOD.
One day there came q haStily-written note
from the young lady stating that she was
about TO start for Chicago, and rejoicing at
the possibility of speedy meeting. The
clerical lover was almost thrown into bit.
This note was a signal for eXtraragant pur-
-chases of neck-wear and reckless invest.
ments in pomatum and hair paste. He bad
his hair cut la mode aud parted in the
middle. lie bought tail hat and WAS prod.
igal in his expenditure for bOot-poiisbing.
He was getting ready TO receive his lady.
love. Very soon sweet-scented billet,
purporting to have come from the Palmer
House, was received, announcing her arri.
val with her uncle; but expressing pain
full doubt about the expediency Of an INN.
diate meeting. The next post was burdened
with a note Of different type. 1t was from
the tyrannical uncle, who addressed the
lover as I'M. ID. Lee-Sir." The writer
stated that he had discovered that
CLANDEsTINE CORRESPONDENCE
had been going on between him Nj. ID.
Lee-Sir) and his niece and ward; that
such conduct was disgrasefuI, and that he,
as southern gentleman OF unblemished
honor. must demand satisfaction for the
deep aud irreparable outrage that had been
attempted. The epistie was worded with
desperate and vaIorous earnestness, and
closed with the coid-biooded announce
ment that "Duucan A. Cameron " was alI-
tborized to represent him in the premises
and wousd confer with any gentleman he
might name to arrange for meeting. This
ensanguined letter greatly terrified Lee,
who took Donnean into bis confidence, ask
ling him what could be doue,in legal way to
,,,oah off g.. chiyaIrnne Sair hrop Mr. sSlnp-