Year: 1877

Jennie June, writing from New York
City to the Baltimore American, says:


1t is generally supposed that when
beautiful young women marry elderly
men they do it simply and solely as
a 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 good as
was expected. A young lady of Brook
lyn has recently, however, reversed all
the traditions in this respect. She is
an only daughter and the apple of her
parents eyes. She is extremely pretty
and petite, with rose leaf complexion,
plump yet delicate form, and a pro-
fusion of golden brown hair. She has
been educated at home exclusively and
seen but little of the world, except one
wear spent abroad. This trip was pro-
iected in order to get rid of an attach
ment which, to her parents horror, she
had formed for man of nearly sixty
years old, who was in the habit of visit
ing her father occasionally, but who
took advantage of the privileges ac-
corded to his age, and of still some
what fine and even distinguished per-
sonal appearance, to make passionate
love to the daughter. He is very poor
man, so poor that his board and washing
bills are always in arrears, and he is
overwhelmed with debts for personal in
dulgences for which he never thinks of
paying.


All this has no effect upon the girl.
She insisted upon hurrying home; and
the parents, really knowing but little of
him, after hard contest finally gave
a conditional consent, their daughter to
first accompany her mother abroad for a
year, and if she, on her return, desired
to marry her elderly lover, they would
no more oppose it, but pay his debts and
give him a home at their house, for they
have abundant means, and the daughter
has every advantage that wealth could
bestow.


A few months ago the mother and
daughter returned from Europe, the
daug ghter still determined on an alli-
ance so repulsive to her family that the
thought had made her mothers hair turn
gray. But, in the meantime, her father
had made himself acquainted with some
previous passages in the mans career,
and as soon as possible after her arrival
placed them strongly before her: The
man was proved to be thoroughly un-
principled 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 to escape lynching, and left every.
| where in debt. The father with tears
told his daughter he could not let hel
marry such a man, and that her death
| would be almost preferable. He pic,
tured her ten or fifteen years from this
time, in the flower of womanhood (she is
not yet nineteen, with a husband de
crepit and helpless, whom she could moi
even respect. But it was all Ofno avail
She insisted that he had been abused
wronged, and said it was the one desire
of her life to be able to comfort his re
naming years, and smooth his pathway
to the grave.


There seems to me something radi
cally wrong and morbid about a cast
like this, and 1 think her parents woulc
! be justified in taking strong measure


to save their daughter from her self
imposed fate. If they do not, she viii
certainly blame them some time for thei


failure to rescue her from her situation


and should she ever die, as she threatens
her death would be easier borne thai


the long, horrible sacrifice to which sh


wishes to cOnsign herself.