Year: 1877

Jennie June. writing 20 the Balti-
more Amegtcdn, says:


1t is generally supposed that when
beautiful young women marry elderly
men, they do il simply and solely as
q matter of business-so much young
flesh and blood for so much money
and there is little sympathy for eth
er side if the bargain does not turn
out as good as was expected. A young
lady Of Brooklyn has recently, how
ever, reversed all the traditions in
this respect. She is an only daugh-
ter and the apple OF her parents eyes.
She is extremely pretty and petite,
with a rose leaf complexion, plump
yet delicate form, aud profusion of
golden brown hair. She has been ed
ucated at home exclusively and seen
but little of the world, except one
year speLt abroad. The trip was
projected in order to get rid OF an at
tachment which, 90 her parents hor-
ror, she had formed for man of
nearly sixty years old, who was in
the habit of visiting her father occa-
sionally, but who took advantage of
the privileges accorded to bis age,
and of still somewhat fine and even
distinguished personal appearance, to
make passionate love to the daugh-
ter. He is very poor man, so poor
that his board and washing bills are
always in arrears, and he is over
whelmed with debts for personal in-
dulgences for which be never thinks
of paying.


All this has no effect upon tte girl
She insisted upon hurrying home !;
and the parents really knowing but
little OF him, after hard contest final
ly gave conditional consent, their
daughter to tirst accompany her moth
er abroad for a year, and if she, on
her return, desired to marry her ell
derly lover, they would no more op-
pose it, lat pay his debts and give
him home at their house, for they
have ample means, and the daughter
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, 50 repulsive to her family that
it made her mothers hair turn gray
But, in the meantime, her father had
made himself acquainted With some
previous passages 10 the mans career,
and as soon as possible after her ar-
rival placed them strongly before her.
The man was proved to be thor
oughly unprincipled old scamp, the
father of an illegitimate child, whose
mother be hsd refused to marry-the
boy, now fifteen years of age, sup
ported aud kept at school by his
mo;her'S daily labor. He had even
been compelled to leave one place
where he lived to escape from lynch
ing, and left everywhere in debt. The
father with tears told his daughter be
eoul.i not let her marry such man,
and that her death would be almost
preferable lie pictured her ten or
fifteen years from this time, in the
flower of womanhood (she is not vet
nineteenl, with husband decrepit
and helpless, whom she could not
even respect But 1t was all of no
avail. She insisted that she had been
abused, wronged, and said it was the
one desire of her life to be able to
comfort his remaining years, aud
smooth his pathway to the grave.


There seems to be something radi-
cally wrong and morbid about a case
like this, and | think her parents
would be justified in taking strong
measures to save their daughter from
her self-imposed fate. lfthey do not,
she will certainly blame them some
time for their failure to rescue her
from her situation and should she
ever die, as she threatens, her eeath
would be easier borpe than the long,
horrible sacri6os 20 which she wishes
10 coasign herself.