Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-02-28
FLED WITH A FRIEND.
Pretty, Viyacious and Blonde Ida
Patterson Elopes With
THE HOSTEfR OF A DINKEY ENGINE
The Irate Father and Brother Looking for
Him With Club.
THEY MAY HAVE GONE TO LITTLE WASH.

|
the quiet. pretty little town of Castle Shan
non last night that embodies every point Of
popular novel, except perhaps the final
interesting denouement.
| Pretty, lively, bright and blonde Ida Pat
terson has eloped with Bob Fergus, and the
girls father is looking for his daughter with
open arms, and for Fergus with club.
The girl, Idella D. Patterson, is the 1S-
year-old daughter of Mr.. r. A. A. Patter-
son, the well-known Master Car Builder Of
| the Castle Shannon road.
Robert D. Fergus, the present possessor Of
the pretty blonde, is the engineer of little
dinky engine in the yards of Oliver Bros. &
| Phillips Fifteenth street mills. The story
of the elopement was told last night by Mr..
Patterson, who was found on the Southside.
He is handsome but rather severe looking
man, with hair slightly tinged with gray,
and evidently felt the loss of his daughter
keenly.
"Yes," said he 'my daughter Ida left
home this morning at o'clock, and my in
valid wife is almost wild over the affair,
and is going into one convulsion after an
other.
HOW IT ALL HAPPENED.
"The story is this: Fergus is medium
sized fellow of about 27 years of age, and
while not at all smart, he is steady work.
man when he has work, but he doesn' earn
enough to keep himself, let alone my daugh-,
ter.
"About five months ago he came to my
house and asked for board, and we took
him, as he seemed quiet enough. He had
known my daughter for two or three years
previous to this, but never paid her any at
ention, and never took her anywhere, and it
was like thunderbolt to me to learn she
had left us.
MY wife, however, had keen woman's
insight into such matters. and she spoke to
me a few weeks ago about Bob paying at
tentions to Ida. 1 went to her at once and
asked if she were engaged to him. She de-
MED this, but acknowledged that he had
spoken to her of marriage. told her it
would be foolish for her to leave a good
home for poor man like that, but she gave
no answer. We asked Fergus to get an
other boarding house, and he said he would.
well, I left home for my work at Z
o'clock as usual, and Ida never said goodby
or gave the slightest hint she intended
going. My wife, who has been an invalid
for years, did not rise until o'clock, when
she found Ida was not in the house. She
thought nothing of it, however, imagining
she had gone to a neighbor,s or for milk, as
she frequently did. Having occasion to go
into her room, she was Mortified on finding
all of her clothes gone. Her trunk was also
har lofb fol lyan ant ~ hot With
all of her jewelry. or course she knew then
Ida had eloped with Fergus, and she sent
for me, but haven't been able to find the
slightest trace of them all day.
NO REASONS FOR FLYING.
"Wbat sticks me-" continued Mr.. Patter-
son, s'is the fact of their running away when
they had no reason to run. Fergus is a very
ordinary fellow, not one-half as bright or
stylish as my daughter, and the difference
in their appearance cannot fail to attract
attention. He has made all this trouble in
such sneaking way as to utterly forfeit my
respect. He never came to me like man
and said he loved Ida, nor did his actions
ever show it. Everything he has done has
been so mean and underhanded that will
never forgive him, and he had better, keep
out of my way.
'He is nearly ten years older than Ida,
and has evidently been influencing her all
this time, but if she comes to me and says
she has done wrong and is sorry, I will
gladly take her back; but as to Fergus
will heartily kick him out of the door. 1
have son just turned 21 who has simply
lost his head. and it will be hard lines for
Fergus if the two meet"
''Do you think they are married?"
sThere is the trouble. She is only IS, and
1onGa vnunOnr and M ono IN Damn mi
will dare marry them, and really believe
the young fellow hasn't noney enough to
take them out of the State, while she has
clothes and jewelry enough, she has no
money either. Then any clergyman could
see they are running away, as they are so
unsuited to each other. rather think they |
have gone to Little Washington, as Fergus
has q father and uncle there. Wherever
they are will find them, if possible.
what ridiculous thing it was" he
continued, almost smiling in spite of his
trouble. "They hadn't the slightest excuse
for running away. am not nearly so stern
as I look, but 1 was soldier all through
the war, and somehow have never managed
to drop my stern ideas of discipline. How
ever, never played the stern parent to the
girl.
NO LOVE AND LoCKsMITH IN THIS.
"I never locked her up, never threatened
her and never tried to keep them apart, for
really had not the faintest idea they were
in love with each other. What silly thing |
it is then for her to fly from kind home |
when no restrictions whatever had been
thrown about them If he had come to me |
like an honest man would have told them |
to wait until he could earn enough to sup |
port her, but now don't know what the re- |
suit will be.
81 really think the fellow imagines, after |
we learn of the marriage we will be recon-
ciled to him, and that they will come home,
all will be forgiven, and we will live to- |
gether comfortable and happy in the same |
house. He has made q big mistake. MY |
wife, in spite of her mothers love for her |
girl, will not have Fergus in the house. NY |
son will simply thrash him if he meets him,
and, old and respeci able as am. think 1 |
will help him do it. The man IS character is |
good enough, but he isn't able to support |
even himself"
The above is Mr.. Patterson's story, as |
told by himself. though he was in such great |
trouble, and so affected bv the probable fate |
only be learned by sharp questioning until |
the whole story was finally drawn out. He !
was in the city last evening, closely watch |
ing the outgoing trains, but in vain. The |
officers were notified to be on the lookout,
and the authorities at Little Washington |
were telegraphed to watch for the love-lorn |
pair, but no answer had been received and |
no news in regard to them had been learned |
up until midnight. Mrs. Patterson is said |
to be in critical condition on account OF |
the grief caused by her daughters be-
havior.
A Stranger, and Taken In.