Year: 1868

A MERCHANT of standing and wealth
not far from Binghampton, N. Y, had
a family consisting of his wife and sew.
eral children. The lady had great per-
sonal beauty, was very accomplished
and intelligent, capital honsekeeper,
an earnest Christian and greatly devo-
ted to her family. Not far from her
residence lived young lady of % sum-
mers, tall, coarse-f featured and as unat-
tractive as could be imagined. Her
mother was dead and she kept house
for her father. The visits of the mer-
chant to this house attracted considera.
BILE attention. 1t was known however,
that the father was generally present at
the visits of the merchant and the COM
munity was generally divided about
the matter. Riding and walking sue
ceeded and the scandal became gener-
al. One Monday morning the merchant
informed his wife that he was going to
leave-that he was going to sail for
California and take the girl with him.
Her father, he said, had given his con-.
sent and agreed to keep the thing Sc
cret until after his departure. He told
her that no power could prevent his.
leaving. Ifshe kept quiet until after,
he was gone he would give her the
house in which she lived and 5000 In
money. IF she did not, he would 60 alt
the same, but would leave her penni.
less. He asked her to fix his linen and
pack his trunk and have it ready by
Thursday morning, all of which she
agreed to do. He bought trunk for
the girl and gave her 5000 for her out
fit. On Thursday morning he left his
home. While his hand was on the
door latch his wife told him that she
should remain just where she was and
take care of the children, and If at any
time he wished to come back the door
would be open to him. He went over
to the house where the young woman
was in waiting. He gave her father
some money, and the accompanied the
parties to the cars. On their way down
the father referred to some expenses he
had incurred in giving his daughter
some music lessons. The merchant hand
ed him 5000, which he pronounced sat
isfactory. After the train had started
the old man told the story of the elope-
ment. When some one remarked to
him that the merchant would desert
his daughter as he had his wife, he said
that it was impossible, for he had never
seen such love between two persons be-
fore.


When he was asked why he did not
put stop to step that could only be
fraught with misery to all sides, he
said that his daughter, when she told
him of her intended journey, showed
him bottle of poison, and said II he
opened his head on the matter till after
she was goneshe would poison him and


herself too. And she would have done
it, he said. The sequel to the affair is
moro than usually tragical. Tho par
ties sailed Immediately fer Californis.
and for some reason not explained took
the return vessel back to New York.
They landed in the city, where the
girl was left at hotel, penniless. She
succeeded in reaching Binghampton,
uto'l tSu hii'i iuiLCus' DtiV
sent to her father, who visited her al
the hotel. She agreed to go home with
him the next morning. He called for
her at the time agreed upon. He found
her corpse. She had committed sui
eide during the night. In the mean
time the merchant had not been heard
from after deserting the girl at the ho-
tel. Ten days ago he appeared at the
door of his own house. True to her
promise and womanly love, his wife
threw the doors wide open and bsde
him welcome. Hidden from the eyes
of his neighbors and friends, he remains
indoors. The community are equally
divided whether he ought to:be tarreti
and feathered or forgiven.