Year: 1878

Woman is kind, gentle, and sacrificing,


while man is a cold, unfeeling wretch.
| This broad general truth has been SO Of


ten asserted that it must be true. More


over it has just been strikingly illustrat-


ed by the respective conduct of Mr.. and


Miss Carman, of Clinton, Illinois, and all


who reverence true womanhood will be
pleased to learn the exact facts of the
case


Mr.. Carman is a rich, retired farmer,


and, though he is not yet SO, he is uni
versally known in Central Illinois as
"Old Carman" In his case, the epithet


'old' is merely intended to convey the


idea that he is not a genial person. There


is no doubt that this is true of him. He


has a beautiful daughter, but he discour-


ages the young men who call upon her.


One young man in particular he discour-


aged to such an extent that the unfortu-


nate youths left ear panied him for sew


eral days, and will never-as the local


physician certifes-shrink back to its


original length. "Old Carmans" opposi-


tion to young men is ostensibly based


upon the alleged fact that they waste the


gas and wear out the furniture. 1t is


needless to say that these charges are


false. So conscientious are the young


men of Clinton that they never make


prolonged calls upon Miss Carman with
out turning down the parlor gas until it
merely glimmers; and as for wearing out
furniture, they unanimously assert that
Mr.. Carman's parlor rocking chair is
strong enough to bear three or four per-
sons at the same time, and consequently
cannot be injured by the weight of two.
The fact is that "Old Carman" is mis-
anthropic man who cannot bear that
young people should enjoy themselves,
and he deserves no consideration at the
hands of honest and kind-h earted men.


Among Miss Carman's adorers is a
young man named Davis, who was, until
lately, her accepted lover. He was en-
gagged in the drug business, and though
his intellect and his muscular strength !
were not generally thought to be gigantic,
he was regarded as an amiable and excel |
lent young person. OF course, "Old Car
man" hated him, and when he learned |
that he was actually engaged to marry |
Miss Carman he followed him out of the |
back parlor window with club, and very |
nearly caught him as he was climbing |
over the fence. 1t was perfectly clear
that the young people would never marry |
with "Old Carman's consent, and in |
these circumstances the young lady, who
was bold and ingenious, proposed an



In spite of the unavoidable disastrous
effect which an elopement would exert
upon the drug business-since it would
involve the temporary closing of Mr.. Da-
Wis shop-it was manifestly impossible
for him to refuse to elope when request
ed to do so. He therefore consented to
the scheme, and agreed to obey Miss
Carman's instructions as to its details
Her room was on the second floor, and
her windows looked on Main street. Mr..
Davis was to buy ladder and place il at
a window at precisely | o'clock last
Tuesday morning Down this ladder the
young lady was to descend, and Mr.. Da-
Wis, having first carefully tied his hand
kerchief over his eyes, was to ascend half
way to meet her. The pair were then to
drive to the next town, where a minister
was to be in readiness to marry them.


On Tuesday afternoon the proposed
elopement came to the ears of "Old Car
man." by what means it is unnecessary
to inquire. He said nothing to his daugh-
ter, but he determined to be present
near the footof the ladder at the appoint
night, Mr.. Davis, painfully dragging an
enormous ladder, arrived in front of
"Old Carman's" house. and with many
succeeded in placing his burden
in position. Little did he imagine that
the cold gaze of his intended father-in,
law was fixed upon him, and that the
old man was waiting behind large
syringea bush, with bundle of small
rope in his hand.


Before very long, Miss Carmau's voice
was heard softly calling to her lover, and
inquring if he had his eyes bandaged
and was all ready. Mr.. Davis informed
her that he was in the very act of tying
the handkerchief, and would immediate
ly proceed to aacend the ladder. Accord,
ingly, he mounted slowly, feeling his
way, and when half way up the ladder
paused and waited for Miss Carman to
descend. At this moment he was sud
denly seized by "Old Carman," who,
hand and foot with the rope. 1t took
but few moments to fasten the unhappy |
youth firmly to the ladder, after which |
the handkerchief was snatched from his |
eyes, and "Old Carman," still maintain
ing profound silence, returned to the !
house, and went calmly to bed.


Miss Carman soon learned from her
lovers whispered complaints the terrible
situation in which he was placed, but she |
could think of no way in which to aid |
him. He begged her to descend the |
ladder and release him, but she explain |
ed that, even If she could bring herself
to descend while his eyes were unprotect |
ed, it would be impossible for her either
to pass him. or to unite knots with her
feet. She implored him, however, to
remember that if he remained on the |
ladder until daylight, he would be dis
covered by the public, and her reputation
would be ruined. In vain did he beg her
to be reasonable, and tell him how he
could possibly descend while his wrists |
and ankles were tied. She was deaf to
his arguments, and reiterated her prayer
that, if he cared anything for her, he
would instantly go away. From entreat-
les she proceeded to tears, and from tears
to anger. Mr.. Davis was forced to hear
himself denounced as a heartless miscre-
ant, who had planned the elopement
simply in order to ruin the woman he


falsely pretended to love. If "Old Car


man" had been listening, his inhuman
malevolence would surely have been sat


isfed.


The night waned and the dawn began


to show itself. Mr.. Davis was still


inextricably bound to the ladder, and


Miss Carman was still weeping praying.


and threatening at the window. But the


time for PRAYERS and threats was at an