Year: 1877




Jennie June's New York letter in the Balti


more Americana


1t is generally supposed that when


beautiful young women marry elderly
men they do it simply and solely rs u
matter of business-so much young
flesh and blood for so much money
and there is little sympathy for either
side if the bargain does not turn out as
as was expected. a young lady of
Brooklyn hasrecently however, revers-
ed all the traditions in this respect.
She is an only daughter, and the APP
pie of her parents eyes. She is eX-
tremely pretty and petite, with a rose
leaf complexion, plump yet delicate
form and profIIsiOn of golden brown
hair. She has been educated at home
exclusively and seen but little OF the
world, except one year spent abroad.
| This trip was projected i'm order To get
rid of an attachment which, To her pa
rents horror, she had formed for
man of nearly sixty years old, who
was in the habit of visiting her father
occasionally, but who took advantage
of the privilege accorded TO his age,
aud of a still somewhat fine and even
distinguished personal appearance, I'd
make passionate love 10 his daughter.
He is a very poor man-SO poor that
his board and washing bills are always
in arrears, and he is overwhelmed
with debts for personal iudulgcnccs
for which he never thinks of paying.
| All this had no effect upon the girl
| She insisted upon returning home;
aud the parents, really Knowing but
| little of him, after n hard contest fl
nally gave a conditional consent, their
| daughter to first accompany her
mother abroad for year, and If she
on her return, desired 10 marry her
elderly lover they would no more Op-
pose it, but pay his debts and give
MIN home at their house, for they
have abundant means, and the daugh-
ter has every advantage that wealth
could bestOw.


A few months ago the mother and
daughter returned from Europe, the
daughter still determined on an alli-
ance so repulsive to her family that
the thought had made her mothers
hair turn gray. But i'm the meantime
her father had made himself acquaint-
ed with some previous passages in the
man. ; career, and as soon as possible
after her arrival placed them strongly
before her. The man was prove To he
"a thoroughly unprincipledO old scamp,
the father Of an illegitimate child,
whose mother he had refused TO marry
the boy, now fifteen years of age,
supported and kept at school by his
mothers daily labor. He had even
been compelled to leave one place
where he lived to escape lynching, and
left everywhere in debt. The father
with tears told his daughter he could
not let her marry such man, and
that her death would he almost prefer
able. He pictured her ten or fifteen
years from this time, in the flower of
her wOmanhOOd she is not yet nine
teen), with a husband decrepit and
helpless, whom she could not even re-
spect. But it was all of no avail.
Sne insisted that he had been abused,
wrOnged, and said it was the one de
sire of her life To he able to comfort his
remaining years and smooth his path
way to tie grave.


There seems to me something radi-
cally wrong and morbid about "A ease
like this, and | think her parents
would he justified in taking strong
measures to save their daughter from
her self-impOSed fate. If they do not,
she will certainly blame them some
time for their failure to rescue her
from her situation; and should she
even die, as she threatens, her death .
would he easier borne than the long
horrible sacrifice to which she wishes
to cOnfinc herself