The Russellville Democrat., 1886-02-11

Early IN the present century there ro
sided III Paris number OF impecunious
gentlemen, who styled themselves the
first society in Europe. Among these
Engl;shmen was one Edward Gibbon
Wakefield, nephew Of the celebrated
Priscilla Wakefield, whose nursery t.assss t:isssssss
and schooI-books were tka.cihgnt Of
children of that day. Edward was q
widaa.s.@ With several children, and
in somewhat needy circumstances
to support the Lie Of elegant leisure
that he wished. So it occurred to him
to elope with an English Leiress. The
lady selected vas pupil at Miss
Doulby's famous seminary in Liverpool,
whose father, William Turner, was q
wealthy Lancashire manufacturer.
Wakefield, accompanied by his shrewd
French valet, Mons. Thevenot, crossed
the channel, and the following scheme
was selected; Mr.. turner had gone to
London on business, and Gibbon sent
his valet, who was instructed to repre-
sent himself as the servant of a physi-
clan named Armstrong, with q note to
Miss Doulby, purporting to have been
written by physician who was attend
ing Mrs Turner, of Shrigley Park, and
| it represented that Mrs. Turner,
be 'ng in urgent danger from para
lytic stroke, wished to see her only
child as soon as possible. The
patients condition required the
immediate return Of her daughter, and
the note requested Mss Doulby to in
trust Miss Ellen Turner, aged fifteen, to
the physicians servant, who would con-
vey her to her mother at the greatest
posting speed. The letter enjoined
Miss Doulby not to alarm the young
lady by telling her Of Mrs. Turner i'll
ness. The scheme worked to perfection.
The deterrent al French valet drove at
once to Manchester, where the elegant
Wakefield was met. The young and
unsophisticated schoolgirl was most
agreeably impressed by his musical
voice and politeness. It was his sad
duty to tell the young lady that her
father was in great financial distress
caused by the failure Of two large
banks, and could only be relieved by
his little daughters compliance with a
cert ain agreement, which was nothing
else than her marriage with the hand
some stranger. There seemed nothing
strange to the child about this. Her
| own experience had taught her that
! Lancashire manufacturers often fall
suddenly from wealth. The last half
year one of her fayorites was removed
| from school bv her fathers failure.
Like a good girl, shc replied "Dear
Mr.. Wakefield, you are very kind to
me, and l think could learn to
love you and make you a good
wife, though am very young;
but / may not marry you
till have seen dear papa and learned
from his own lips what be wishes me to
don They were on their way to Scot
! land for speedy marriage, and at Car
| Isle would be met by her papa. who
would accompany them to Gretna
Green. All night they drove with
greatest speed, where they learned that
her father had been thrown into Jail,
and her only way to rescue him from
the cruel position was at once to 60 to
Gretna Green and marry Mr.. Wakefield.
| At the same time she received letter
purporting to have been written by Mr..
| Grimditch. her fathers London solicit
or, urging her immediate compliance
as the only mcars to save her father.
These were proofs overwhelming. and
the young girl consented, and they pro-
ceeded to Gretni4 Green, and, with her
consent, the tern fled little girl became
Mrs. Wakefield. The Witnesses were
viii am Graham, Postboy, and John
/ Lenton. From ,sretna Green the adroit
rascal carried the girl to Calais, and at
once proceeded to open negotiations
with Mr.. Turner. His demands were
not exorbitant. He would be satisfied
with an annual allowance suitable to
his wants to live in the first society oi
Europe. 1t is gratifying to know that
the father did not consent, and that af-
fairs were managed so cleverly that Mr..
Wakefield was eventually sentenced to
three years in Newgate. - Cincinnati
Enquirer.