Year: 1878

dramatized version of which has otter
been produced on our stage, was, in thu
! opinion of most sensible persons, q pre-
posterous idiot. The act upon which hi


fame chiefly rests was his leap from the


top of a tower. He had assembled this


tower late one afternoon with beautiful


young lady, and accidentally found him


self locked in for the night In these


circumstances, any intelligent man would


have known what to do. He would have


selected comfortable seat for himsel


and his companion; he would have Iii


his cigar, and would have passed de


lightful evening explaining the motions


OF the planets and making pleasant bets


about shooting-stars. Instead of so do


ing that preposterous young man delib


erately jumped down. at the risk of his


legs, and sent servant to conduct the


young lady home. If she had had par


ticle of spirit she would have despised


him ever after, but being fit compan
ion for the poor young imbecile, she act


ually applauded his conduct, and became


extremely fond of him


In Clinton, Illinois, there resides a


maiden lady of, say 35 years of age, who
strange to say, is notoriously anxious tc
be married. In the town resides a rich
young man who is regarded as decidedly


the most eligible person for matrimonial
purposes in that part of the State. Miss


Warren, the maiden lady in question


naturally desires, or rather did until re


Gently desire, to catch the young man, as


her acquaintances curiously phrase it,


and laid deep plan for entrapping him


into matrimony.


For a long time she had successfully


lured him to make occasional calls at hel


house. She had offered to be sister to


him, and had professed great interest in


his religious welfare. She had adopted


all his political opinions, and had left nc
stone unturned to win his Affection
Nevertheless, the young man remained


obdurate, and it became evident that nc


ordinary allurements would succeed in


bringing him into matrimony


1t so happened that Miss Warren had
read the Romance of a Poor Young


Man" and it inspired her with brilliant
idea. There is a Methodist meeting


house in Clinton with lofty spire, from
which a fine view of the surrounding Q
country may be had. The ingenious maid
en- lady carefully examined this spire, and
decided that it would suit her purpose
1t was reached by flight of stairs, the
entrance to which was usually kept lock-
ed, and the lowest window opening on
these stairs was fully thirty feet from the
ground The Rich Young Man was a
particularly cautious person. and Miss


Warren felt sure that he would never
venture upon leap of thirty feet. If,
then, she could manage to be locked up
in the spire in company with her desired
victim, he would be unable to escape, and
in order to protect her reputation could
hardly fail to consent to marry her.


By long process of diplomacy Miss
Warren finally succeeded in borrowing
from the sexton the key of the spire.-
With this in her possession she waited
until the Rich Young Man made his next
call upon her, when she entreated him to
take her up the spire. In view of her
evident expectation that he would ac-
cede to her request, and in order that
she might not be humiliated by being
obliged to return the key to the sexton
without having assembled the spire, the
young man politely consented to accom-
pany her About half past six o'clock
they entered the Westinghouse, unlock
ed the staircase door, and prepared for
the ascent. Miss Warren, remark Q
that she had promised the sexton to lock
the door, in order to keep possible boys
from invading the spire, fulfilled her
promise, and daintily hung the key on
her forefnger.


Then they climbed upward toward the
stars, and Miss. Warren felt that her STRAIT
agem was about to be crowned with sue
cess. The pair fingered so long at the
top of the spire. gazing upon the beauties
of the landscape and watching the
stealthy approach of twilight that it was
rather late when they started to descend.
They reached the foot of the stairs and
|, L.
lease. Suddenly Miss Warren in falt-
ering voice announced that she had lost
the key. She must have dropped it out
of the topmost window of the spire, so
she said, while the young man was talk
ing so beautifully about the evening star.
OF course, she was in despair, and after
the door had been tried and had been
found to be proof against any effort to
break it open, she announced that she
was ruined, and bursting into tears, fell
on her companien's breast.


That able young man judiciously re-
leased himself, and, seating Miss Warren
on the stairs. told her to cheer up, and
that he would soon find way to release
her "No! nor she cried wildly, "the
window is thirty feet high, and there is
no escape for US l don't blame you, for
you are as good and kind as an angel,
but can never face the world as an un-
married woman after this" But the rich
young man was already out of hearing
and half way up the spire. Miss Warren
was about to follow, fearing that he had
chosen suicide rather than matrimony,
when he reappeared, and with a smiling
face invited her to come up higher.


Greatly elated, Miss Warren followed
to the lowest window, when he paused
i al ol
This, he informed her, was the bell rope,
and with it he intended to let her down
from the window. In vain did she pro
test that she would die Of fright, and that
anything would be preferable to being
lowered through thirty feet of air. The
young man was kind but firm. He fast
ened the rope about her waist, and pre-
tending that his apparent cruelty was
only the highest form OF kindness, lifted
her out of the window and lowered away.
1t was still light and her shrieks attract
ed party of young men who happened
to be within hearing, although the Meth
odist meeting house was isolated and in
lonely place. These young men FASTENED
to receive the descending maiden, and
though she had perfect confidence in the
good taste with which she had selected
her hosiery, their presence added to her
misery. After having thus released his
from her coveted imprison-
ment, the young man descended the rope
and escorted her home. She said not a
word to MIN, and did not even bid him
goodnight. Nevertheless, he went home
cheerful and feeling that he had dis
charged his whole duty. There can be
no doubt that he is an exceedingly sensi-
BILE young man, and that his conduct,
when contrasted with the mythical poor
young man, does equal credit to his head,
his herrt, and the strength of his arms.