Year: 1878

warning,


A romance in real life, with an end
ing sadly different from that which the
books give, has just transpired in small
village not many miles from Cleveland.
Clara j was a young lady of eight
cen, quite fair, and possessing as many
charms as most young ladies of her age
and surroundings. Her father is an
honest farmer, whose acres, although
numbered by the hundred, are not en-
tirely free from incumbrance. Some
three months ago copy of CIncin-
natl daily by some sad fate fell into this
young lady's hands, and her eye ran
over the column of notices headed
Personal" She had then no idea of
answering any of the many solicitations
for correspondence, by any means.
But il did in some way seem charm-
ing thing to look them all over and
speculate upon who the adventurers
were, and what they were doing, and
why they advertised. And so she
did look over these columns, and so she
did become interested.


At length she came to the conclusion
that it would be romantic thing, lust
for fun, to answer one of these notices,
and in harmless way see what might
come of it. With heart beating high
she penned modest note, which sim
ply served to answer the advertisement,
and in due course of mail letter re-
turned to her postmarked Chicago and
directed in most beautiful hand. The
seal was broken, when the letter was
found to read as follows:


CHICAGO, ---.


Miss CLARA J.--lfy Deq- Mss: l was re-
joiced to receive your note Of to-day Since
placing the notice in the paper to which your
note was the reply have received a large
number of solicitations to correspond, but
yours was the only one that have answered
Shall be pleased, II it is convenient ana pleas
ant for you to do so, to continue a correspond
ence until we shall become mutually acquaint-
ed, and thus | am certain we cannot fan to be
protited. Write me again soon and tell me
what you think of this. Very respectfully,


This was a charming letter to the
young lady. She read it over and over
again, and carried it with her for sew
eral days. The beautiful chirog hy
and perfect photography made it es-
pecially attractive, and she was con-
vinced that there could be nothing
wrong, and, besides, if there were. she
was only writing for sport, t,she thought,
and nothing serious could happen.
She had never thought much of the
rough-and-ready fellows of the village
who had at various times shown their
honest attentions to her. She now had
real city beau and was evidently flat
tered. She knew that he was some
great mana bookkeeper, head clerk
in some opulent firm, or something of
that sort. So when the proper length
of time had elapsed, so that too great
haste would not be manifest, she wrote
again, and thus a regular correspond
ence sprang up.


Things were well along before the par
ents of the young lady were aware of
what was going forward, and then they
concluded, on her representations, to
let it go forward. AT length he asked
the privilege of coming out on visit
to her. She accepted, and the time
when the lovers. united in heart. were
to meet face to face at length arrived.
He came, and she is as much captivated
with his presence as she has been with
his penmanship and composition. He
remains few short days, and it is ru-
mored they are engaged. To be sure,
her parents are not pleased with his APP
pearance. They consider him far too
snowy in dress and plausible in conver-
sation; but Clara was satisfied. and was
convinced that the old folks were stub
born and unsophisticated, and were
trying to interpose needless obstacles
to the course of true love. And so, at
length, they yielded; and, as the Chi
cago gentleman still fingered near, and
was desirous of consummating a mar
riage with their daughter, they at
length consented, and the couple who
were thus brought together were united
in holy wedlock and departed with
what dowry the liberal father was able
to bestow. This was less than two
months ago, and last week the poor
girl, now transformed into a sad and
careworn woman, returned to her
fathers home.


Tho oequol is suUu told. The young
husband was gambler, and, upon OBJ
tanning his wife's money, had soon dis
posed of it, and they were left penni-
less. He had resorted to various make
shifts to get the necessaries of life, but
it had been found next to impossible to
get on, and The young wife, at length
tired of the struggle, had written home
for money to return with. The father
Immediately went to Chicago and re-
turned with his daughter. 1t is pretty
well settled that Wilson-for that is the
young husbands name-was once 90
stockbroker and in good shape to pros
per, so far as this worlds goods are
concerned, but the fascination of gamb-
ling seized him, and has dragged him
down. .-C CleUeLdNd Cor Chjca0O Tribune,