National Republican., 1881-07-07
A VIRGINIA VIRGIN.
SHE FLEEs TO THE DISTRICT,
And, Despite Her Blue Blood, She NArries the Man
Of Her Choice Against the Opposition OF
Her Parents and Relatives
IN Richmond.

One Of the marked peculiarities of Vir-
ginans who have descended from the carly settlers
is the vast amount ofprdo they display in reciting
their family history for centuries back, for they
carefully preserve and memorze IL as the first i'm
portant knowledge. The purity of blood Is invn-
riably retained in the marriage alliances, as their
sons and daughters arc only given or accepted in
union with a direct branch Of some equally excel
lent stock. Whonever one of the line this side OF
maturity forgets his or her education and bestows
the childish affection they possess on ono not Of the
same distinguished kin the parental authority
quickly asserts ITSELF and the dream of love is
promptly dispellcd. What have promised TO
be happy unions have been thus de-
stroyed, as even wealthy suitors hgyo been re-
jected because they were unfortunate In not hay
ing procured documentary proofs that the stream
oflifc which coursod through their veins was as
free from faint as that of nm ancestor OF the SUI
pcrior stripe of mankind who dwelt nges ago. One
of the proudest and wealthest Of these families is
the Martins Tho branches have spread over the
State and the orthodox rule has been firmly ad-
hercd to In selecting husbands and wives, for the
Martins have only united with members of celo-
brated families. All rules have an exception and
so far as the Martins concerned the family law
has been violated, and in consequence the
ELITE OF RICHMOND
are IN fever of excitement as a pretty and cul-
turcd miss, prominent In society, has not only
welded one who Is not her peer socially, but has
permitted herselfto be married claudestinely. Tho
young lover is Robert Atkinson, who has a modest
fortune, conducts paying business, Is plain.
spoken, honest, and determined. Thegirls mother
and relatives looked upon young Atkinson rs of
the inferior order aud refused to permit him TO be-
come the life long monitor of the fair Laura's hap
piness To the cntrcatios of the daughter the
mother yielded, and arrangements were being
made on scale of grandeur for the nuptials. The
fair one has brother whose pride was aroused,
and by his arguments his once willing mother was
induced to look with dlsastc upon the match.
and the contract was ordered broken. This
decision was forthwith communicated, not
alone to the expectant bride, but TO
the leading social circles II was as well supplied MS
dainty morsel for their digestion. The daughter
pleaded with her mamma, but the maternal rcla-
tive was iniexible and her later resolution could
not be changed. The couple were depressed, and
they decided TO consult young lady friend, an
old school-m CT Laurn's. At the friends home,
where Laura was making brief stay, the spirited
and disappointed limb OF the Martin tree on Mon
day last determined that she would have Robert
for good or for evil. Under the Virginian laws It
Is necessary to have the consent of the parents
when one of the contracting parties is und.r age,
and Laura is but nineteen. They knew 1t would
be impossible to
PROCURE A LICENSE
for the marriage there. Even deception could not
be resorted to, as the Martins were too well known
| The friend was acquainted with the laws of this
| District governing the issuance of licenses and
she knew that the acquicsccnce Of the parents
was not required. Another inducemcnt to have the
ceremony performed here was that the lady friend
had n relative living here, aud at this dwelling the
nuptinl knot could be tied and publicity avoided.
! on the train that LEFT Richmond at carly dawn
! Tuesday the trio wcro passengers The license
was procured, and on that evening, in the presence
of a few witnesses, they were declared man and
| wife by Rev. dr. Hammock, pastor OF the Method.
ist Memorial Chapel. Tho happy couple re-
turnee on the night train TO Richmond, and the
f:ct the secret alliance was not made known un-
I'll yesterday, and society was Immediately pros
trated by the startling intelligence 1t is needless
to add that the Martin mansion has not been
visited by the firmly bound runaways.