The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1884-07-16
A ROMANTIC CAREER.
A LIFE OF SINGULAR McIss!rvDes.
wiiberforoe Armitage's Romance-The
Strange Life.story Revealed by Suit
in the Common Pleas Court
Saved by Rebels Daughter.
PHILADELPHIA Times I

closed in bill fled in the Common Pleas
Court by Mrs. Fanny Elton Armitage to
recover dover interest in two houses In
West Philadelphia, tract of land in the
southwestern part of the city, below the
built-up section, and another near Brides
burg. Mrs. Armitage is the widow of
Wilberforce Armitage. The latter, the bill
sets out, was born in Leicestershire, En-
gland. He came of an old and once wealthy
family. He was younger son. He was
educated by his maternal uncle, Captain
Henry Standish. He was graduated from
Cambridge. He began to read for the
bar, but before he had been called he
abandoned his studies and announced to
his uncle that his qualities were not such
as were likely to bring him success in the
forum. Captain Standish was displeased,
but nevertheless assisted in placing him in
the army. Armitage was sent to India.
| After few months of monotonous service
there his impetuous temperament brought
him into conflict with superior officer. He
sold out his commission at once. The
prodigality of his life had left him quite
without means, He, wrote his uncle that
he desired to come home, and suggested
that if he were to travel as became a gen.
tleman liberal remittance would be es-
sential. y5.l} ea .oVatBH arJ AZ Yiin
Captain Standish sent the remittance,
but accompanied it with a lecture half Q
dozen pages long. He intimated that
he was growing weary Of condoning
faults; drew up catalogue Of youthful
scrapes that he had already pardoned; de-
clared that it was about time that his ward
had learned to control his temper and un-
derstand the Importance of gong in for
career, and, finally, required him to give
earnest of determination to reform by
pledging himself to marry within dis
tinct period. A wife had already been se-
lected for him. She was sixteen. Armit-
age was not quite twenty three. She was
the daughter of distant relative of Cap.
tain Standish, and an heiress in her own
right. A match between her and Armit
age had been arranged by the parents Of
both while the subjects Of the delicate nego-
tiation were children. 1t was matter,
however, that young Armitage chose will.
fully to regard with disfavor. As the
time approached when to his uncle's mind,
his parents having died, the marriage
ought to take place, his aversion grew
greater. His uncle's blunt lecture goaded
him into rebellion. AS. it happened, an
opportunity to embark in minor position
in the tea trade presented itself simultane-
ously with the arrival Of his guardians
message. He embraced it, sent back his
uncle's remittance with hotheaded let
ter, declaring that he never would marry
until his own will dictated, and went to
Canton, China. ..........., ,.l..l.. ., ..,...
He prospered. His natural abilities,
energy, and culture stood him in good
stead. At the end of two years he accept.
ed an offer to go to. Jamaica to superin
tend sugar plantation thatw owned by
the tea concern. He was wrecked while
on his way to England and lost all the
money he had put by. He was picked VI
by an American ship and carried to Bos-
ton. He landed penniless. The Civil Wal
was raging. The time was the gloomy
period before Gettysburg and Vicksburg
when the Confederate forces seemed t.
have everything their own way. Young
Armitage, willie still q youth in England
had embraced the doctrines of the Man
chester school, and was an enthusiastic
partisan of the north. He wrote to his
employers in Canton, giving up the idet
Of going to Jamaica, and enlisted in the
Federal Army. He was wounded at GettVs
burg, but not so badly as to prevent his re
naming in the field. Hewent on into Vir
ginia. His daring now, while it almost
cost him his liberty, brought HIM eventu'
!, ally the crowning glory OF his life; While
scouting in Caroline County hewas chaset
, by fly ing party of Confederates. HI
was given shelter by negroes on the plan
; tation of Isaiah Elton, the father Of the
i complainant in the present case. Elton
himself was an ( ardent advocate Of the
, 4 Southern cause. The rebels were clos
4 upon Armitage, and the fact that he ha'
taken refuge with the negroes was strongl.
suspected. '".arii'" 80 ai
= l. ID The Confederate soldiers arranged for
thorough search. They disposed of thei
/, force in such manner as to prevent Al
8 mitage from escaping into the neighborin
woods. Armitage was in negro hui
!. Capture was certain if he remained there
4 He determined to make for the woods, Il
), i had just started, under cover of q heav
growth of underbrush, when he suddenl
came face to face with q young woman.
was Fannie Elton, the planters daughte
Their eyes met and Instantly each unde
/ stood. o Every moment brought captyit
v or death nearer to the Federal soldier. I'll
d woman hesitated for an instant; then, wit
"a a word and a sign, she indicated that A
o. mitage should follow her. She passe
a quickly by q narrow way to her dwellin
ia house. 1t was now almost night. Armital
20 had, by Miss Elton's direction, led h
Is horse with him by the bride. At the o.
d trance of the house Armitage, at d sig
" from the lady, gave the animal slig
lse blow and ordered him to 60 The hor
o. wildly dashed away and in moment WI
!. lost to view in the darkness Of the wood
,e Armitage stepped into the house. Mi
a Elton at the same moment made feint
IS if she had just come out and was filledwi
a surprise and fear. The pursuers we
At caught BY the trick. They rushed past Il
q house and plunged into the woods. Arm
70 tage was safe. A negro, by Miss Elton
ID direction, assisted him to get back to Il
10 Union lines. Armitage at the conclusi'
q of the war went to California and succee
n ed in making a moderate fortune. He su
se sequentlY took up his residence in I'll