Year: 1868

Country people profess TO be as
tonished at the depravity of our great
cities. They wonder that the fate of
Sodom does not hurl New York, Bos-
ton and Chicago from the face of the
earth, overlooking the fact that full
Is per cent of our crime is committed
by non-residents, and that our vilest
dens and questionable amusements
are kept alive by the patronage of
gentlemen from the rural districts


If the country towns were searched
as with candle and daily transac-


tions brought to light no city would


blush at the comparison. Not far


from where I write one of the most


extraordinary elopements has taken


place, with a most tragical sequel. A


merchant of standing and wealth had


a family consisting of his wife and


several children. The lady had great


personal beauty, was very accomplish


ed and intelligent, a capital house


keeper, and earnest christian, and


greatly devoted to her family. Not
far from her residence lived a young
lady of twenty-three summers, tall,


coarse featured, and as unattractiye


as could be imagined. Her mother


was dead, and she kept house for her


father. The visits of the merchant


to this house attracted considerable


attention. 1t was known, however,


that the father was generally present


at the visits of the merchant, and the


community was generally divided


about the matter Riding and walk


ing succeeded, and the scandal be-


came general.


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 consent, and agreed to keep the


thing secret till after his departure.
He told her that no power could pre-
vent his leaving. If she kept quiet


till after he was gone he would give


her the house in which she lived and
$1,000 in money. If she did nGt, he
would go all the same, but would leave
her penniless. He asked her to fix
his linen aid pack his trunk, and have
: it ready y Thursday morning, all of


which she agreed to do. He bought
trunk for the girl, and gave her 5000
for her outfit. On Thursday morn
ing 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
/ Girl was in waiting. He gave her father
2 some money, and he accompanied the
a parties to the cars. On their way
e down the father referred to some eX-
t penses he had incurred in giving mis-
|. daughter music lessons. The merch-
t ant handed him 5000, which he pro-
d nounced satisfactory. After the train
/ had started, the old man told the story
v of the elopement. When some one
5 remarked to him that the merchant
e would desert his daughter as he had
: his wife, he said that it was impossi-
a bic, for he had never seen such love
t between two persons before. When
+ he was asked why he did not put a
Il stop to a step that could only be
a traught with misery to all sides, he
said thai his daughter, when she told
e him of her intended journey, showed
n him bottle of poison, and said if he
l. opened his head on the matter till af-
/ ter she was gone she wonld poison
: him and herself too. And she would
v have done it, he said.


I The sequel to this affair is more
than usually tragical. The parties
g sailed Immediately for California and
l. for some reason not explained took
e the return vessel back to New York.
e They landed in the city, where the
+ girl was left at an hotel, pennileSs.-
i; She succeeded in reaching this place,
II deserted and ruined, aud sent imme-
Y diately for her father, who visited her
d at the hotel. She agreed to go home
: with him in the morning. He called
d for her at the time agreed upon. He
e found her a corpse. She had commit
e ted suicide during the night.


IS In the meantime the merchant had


not been heard from after deserting


the girl at the hotel. Ten days ago
h he appeared at the door of his own
h house. True to her promise, and true
f to her womanly love, she threw the
II doors wide open and bade him well
II come. Hidden from The eye of his
e. neigebors and friends, he remains in
d doors. The community are equally
l. divided whether he ought to be tar.
r red and feathered or forgiven.-BUR.
v LEIGH, IN the Boston Journal.