Year: 1869

The following account of clerk in
one of the Departments at Washing
ton, growing out of an acquaintance
formed through an anonymous cor
respondence, was printed in q recent
issue Of the IParerly Maga=tae:


In-the month of February last, a
young man who was clerk In one
of the departments at Washington
inserted a call for lady correspond
ents in our columns; and shortly
afterward, among the answers he re-
ceived, was one from New York city
that specially attracted his attention.
1t was written in delicate female
hand, evidently from young Miss
OF education and refinement. In the
course of events photographs were
exchanged, to the mutual satisfaction
of the parties interested and close
upon this declaration of love and
proposal, which was also accepted,
neither of the parties having as yet
seen the other. Indeed, so far was
the affair carried, that day was ap.
pointed for the wedding; and few
days before the appointed time, the
lover started for New York to meet
his expected bride for the first time.
The meeting took place as appointed,
and the parties proceeded direct to
the proper authorities, by which
they were united in the holy bands
of matrimony. He now, for the first
time, learned that his new-made wife
was the daughter of wealthy parents,
who were in blissful ignorance of
their daughters conduct, and were
laboring under the happy impression
that she was at that time visiting
friends In another part of the city.
After brief honeymoon of three
days at hotel on Canal street, the
happy bridegroom found it necessary,
by expiration of his leave of absence,
to return to Washington, and rs q
matter of course, had no thought of
leaving his wife behind him. After
a short consultation, the happy
couple determined to wait upon the
lady's parents, and inform them
what had taken place, procure their
forgiveness and blessing, and depart
in peace. Never was cloves young
dream" more rudely broken. The
young brides mother went into hys-
terics; the father ragged and stormed; /;
the sisters out-Niobed the famed
daughter of Tantalus, and the broth
ers, OF whom there are three, proceed
ed to reek summary vengeance upon
the intruder, making an attack in
force upon him then and there. But
the newly made husband was, for
tunately for himself, of good physi-
que, besides being a scientific boxer,
and soon placed the two eldest hors
dc combat, while the youngest made
his exit through the back parlor
window, taking with him the poker
with which he had armed himself.
Matters being i'm this condition the
husband returned to his hotel, leav-
ing his wife with her family. After
several Intellectual attempts at a rec-
onciliatiorwith the head of the fam
lily, he obtained an interview with
the mother, who utterly refused to
allow him to see his wife, as she did
not think her daughter could be kept
in q style to which she had been ac-
customed on four dollars q day, the
amount of his salary. The young
man being firm in his determination
to have his wife, her father finally
gave her the choice of going with her
husband, and being disinherited and
cut off from her family. She chose
to remain; but in short time began
o clandestine correspondence with
her husband. But this was soon dis
covered and stopped by the prying
mother; and short time since, he
was notified of steps being taken for
a divorce, and a lawyer waited on
him to offer negotiations to that eff
feet. Upon this, the young man,
becoming disgusted with the affair,
made package of her letters, pic
lures, marriage certificate, &C., and
expressed them, valued at tone cent, y
to his wife. He was agreeably sur
prised, q few days afterward, to re-
ceive check from his father-in-law
of $4,000, and a promise to increase
the amount to 5000 III he would
leave this part of the country. He
resigned his clerksbip, and sailed for
California about the first of Juno
well pleased with this speculation. as
he terms IL.