Year: 1869




| vertised for correspondence with young ladies,
the Interior aim Of which was 10 be matrimony.
From out Of the numerous responses Of young
ladies anxious to plunge into double Blessed
ness, the chap with the "large practice" selected
neatly written and we'll worded 6llet-fOus
from Springfield, Ohio signed Ida Milbank, and
gave 1t his especial attention.


The correspondence proceeded lovely. In
one Of his letters he writes:


"CINcINNATI sept "a, 1859.


81 am happy to hear
that my age would not prove an obstacle
to our union. / have but one moro
fear, that is, my personal appearance
may fail to please you. BY the inclosed
picture you will see that my hair is very
thin on the front and top Of my head
This was always SO from boyhood.
have also been told that had fine eye.
know for myself it is better than the
picture represents. never deemed my
self handsome, but believe l make 70
good an appearance as most OF men, and
| consider myself equal to any in both
professional and business qualifications.
81 shall ever strive 10 merit your lovo
and esteem. If you are not unfavorably
impressed with my picture, feel sure
aud safe in regard to all other require
ments. / feel that it is almost useless
for me to write so much; / only do SO
from the encouragement you gave in
your last kind letter If you do not
change your mind land l hope you will
not) in regard to our meeting, perhaps it
would be best for you to appoint time
and place of meeting, say some day next
week. Please inform me how you will
be dressed, and other particulars, SO that
l may know you at once. l always
dress in black; silk hat, with mourning
band around il, for the loss OF much-leved
brother. also wear Mountaineering
and small breastpin, with black ribbon
watcb-chain, and will carry a small sun
umbrella. Besides this description you
have my picture by which to recognize
me-"


He also was blessed financially, and
was willing to give her the key to his
chest, for he says:


81 have plenty of cash
means, also large practice, yielding
fine income. In case we should make
any arrangement, you may be assured of
ever having all and everything your
heart could wish for, or money could
procure. In short time l intend to
take pleasure trip to California, where
have many friends and relations. l
would like to have pretty little wife
with me it would be the aim of my life
to please and make her happy. If yeu
do not object on account Of my age, I
hope you will reply and say when and
where we can meet"


On last Saturday there was borne
from our midst this chap in search of
wife. He went to Springfield, and the
advertiser of that smart place gives the
denouemsnt in the following words:


Saturday was rainy day, and pre-
vented the lovers meeting. Several
notes were passed, and the anxious heart
of the fond expectant besought speedy
interview. A note from Ida, requesting
him to stay over Sabbath, was received
from the hands of an ebony-hued youth,
and tender 6iAet-do1r dispatched, acceed-
ing TO it. Finally, the hour and place
for the recontre was fixed. The time,
Sunday afternoon, 2:3O; the place the
Opera-houss corner.


''Meanwhile the affairs got whispered
abroad, and on Saturday afternoon and
Sunday the Murray House was besieged
by throngs of merciless jokers, whose
hearts knew no pity when there was fun
ahoat.


"Ths vcitim was promptly on time,
and sauntered leisurely down Main street,
to the Opera-house. He passed it slowly,
stopping occasionally to look around,
and walking on, crossed the street, and
returns with the same measured gait, re-
crosses the street, stops in front OF the
building, and leans cempOsedly upon the
railing at the entrance TO the basement
OF the opera-house.


"By this time hundreds had assembled,
and Main street was one broad grin.
The crowd kept looking out upon the
victim who was seon to be sacrificed.
At this juncture tho same ebony who
had carried the previous notes stepped
up to Japhet and handed him a note.
lie eagerly opened and read the story of
the "sell" together with some salutary
advice in regard to the danger of adver-
tising for wife"


Ida Milbank was ono of the rising malo
generation.


"He slowly folded the note and
started off, and then broke forth yell
from two hundred throats. He kept on,
to evade the laughing demons, and sought
his hotel by back entrance, but unhap-
PLY found it closed, and he was forced
to pass the front portals. He fastened
from the sight of men, and in the soli-
tude of his chamber mourned over his
sad experience. He recovered, however,
and began to look at the matter as light
as possible, but his stomach was very
heavy. He complied with the request
of the last letter, and furnished funds to
wet the throats OF his prosecutors, breath
ing a prayer, no doubt, that it might
turn to prussic acid in their guzzles. He
left the city on the earliest train, q, ,bache-
lor, it is true, yet wiser far than when he
came"


"Sammy, run to the store and get somo
sugar" "Excuse me, ma; Pm some
what indsposed this morning. Send