Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1890-04-02

Now and then m ght have beer seen an
exultant look, though inquisitiye express
sions predominated, and as natural couse-
qnence there was unusual sOciality. Peo-
Pile who previously had had little more than
bowing acquaintance fell into easy aud
apparently confidential conversation Pal
pit orations that Sunday morning, uuless
extempore dissertations, proved "wanting
in inspiration, "and failed to touch the pub
lie heart. Artist quartets, doing their most
harmonious work, felt the lack of respon-
sjve sympathy.
Monday morniag came. Evidently "the
stew had simmered and dubbed and boil
ed"
Suddenly the clear morning air bore the
changer of bell and the words 81 ost!
Lostr'
No one seemed to know what was miss
ing, but the masses took up the cry, and be-
fore darkness broo6ed over the city tender
hearts were wrung at the thought that
zone poor little child was lost;'' and the
story swelled till it "had been kidnapped by
pirates who made a business of visiting
small cities and stealing children" A
slight diversion, but Tuesday the public
generally, with the morning paper at hand.
found "sweet morsel," and thought it was
all told in the head lines-"Mysteriou Dis
appear rance of Prominent Citlzen'-''For
the Sake of Friends, Much That Might Be
Told Is Withheld"-it grew and magnif1ed
till when the evening papers were issued,
the unprecedented demand took every one
while ye. moist from the press. The most
enterprising published a two column article.
Such another piece of perfection as the
aforesaid citizen had been during his pre-
vious thrty-fve years of life it would be
impossible to find, and as smaller sheet
that was given to moralizing sententiOusly
remarked: "Greater was the fall. After
most remarkable surmising it was rumored
that there twas woman in it.
Such man couldn't have gone astray un
der other circumstances People here and
there were interviewed. Who was it? Some
said prominent clergyman; others, pop
ular lawyer, and for few hours people of
every profession scanned to be connected
with the scandal. and it must have been a
relief to anxious and sad eyed women,
whose husbands had been out over night
tat the LODGE or some where, to have it
definitely stated on Tuesday morning that
Mr.. Trow, the bank treasurer, had not been
seen since Saturday night, though the re.
port that he had absconded with vast de-
posits taken from the bank vaults exploded
after visit to the other officials, who de-
MED it and positively asserted that his own
financial status was good aud that not one
of them had faith 10 any of the rumors.
ssMr Trow left the bank Saturday noon
apparently in good health and sonnd
mind" but they had to admit, reluctant
ly," gossip had it, that when asked, ''Just
where are you going, old fellows" he bad
answered ln his jovial way, "For bona
fde vacation; you won't hear till you see
me-"
The men s'couldn't and wouldn't believe
it." but each day more was learned, and
the people who had a thorough knowledge
of his personal and domestic affairs were
legion and added mite after mite ''for the
public good" or "becanse humbugs and
frauds should be exposed" till free trade,
trusts, talk of war with foreign country,
even cabinet making, sunk iato utter in
significance, and everybody was qui vive
with an Unsuitable thirst for "more, more"
As the demand grew the supply increas-
ed On the bulletin boards the words, ''The
Trow and Schoolma'sm Soanda,," called
attention to the phrase that had been SEEM
ingly inexplicable.
The printing presses never did such rapid
work nor turned out one-half the number
of daiiles as on Wednesday, when, at white
heat, the community expectantly waited.
(which teacher?' 1t was s'school vaca-
tion," and what rendered it specially tant-
aliEing several of the young ladies were out
of town. People got names mixed, but
after day or two, as might have been ex-
pected, the ''common sense" of the public
rescued s'the innocent" from embarrassing
positions, and it was understood-though
it was noticeable that the name was not in
print-that the one, pre-emilently the
handsomest and most attractive, was the
guilty party.
An unrecognizable facial caricature oi
the young woman sold hundreds of papers
Friday. when people had begun to weary
and cry '.antique;'' but Something New
instead OF a rehash, tempted them all tx
read the following:
SIT is generally understood that Mr.
Trow and the fascinating young teacher
who eloped last Saturday night. who. pre-
vious to this weeks developments, wer
thought to be entire strangers, have been Il