Year: 1872

The New York correspondent of the
Chicago Tribune tells this story OF high
life in New York which may or may
not be true. but there IS reason to believe
that il is type of n peculiar phase OF our
fashionable society:


About forty years ago, young man
came to this city, without education.
money. or friend dship-his sole capital be-
ing rugged constitution, large energy,
and hopeful organization. He was not
long in obtaining a situation Ms porter in
A shipping house in South street, and he
showed So much industry and general
capacity, that before twelve months had
PASSED. he was promoted In ten years,
he had AN interest in the firm: in twenty,
he was at the head of thN house, and the
possessor of a liberal fortune. Meanwhile
he had married n young woman greatly
his superior in position and culture, who
would not have accepted him naturally,
had she not been so poor that she was
forced to teach for n livelihood. She had
suffered much from indigence and the
consequence was, that she regarded want
of money and wretchedness as cause and
effect. After her marriage, her circum-
stances were all afiluent. even luxurious !;
and vet when her two daughters, near the
same age, had arrived at maturity, she
was never willing that any man, however
deserving. shond he the snitor ot either,
unless he were rich. The girls were
comely, amiable, quite agreeable, and
might have been the wives of worthy and
clever gentlemen in independent positions
but for the opposition of their mother.


Arqin and again Mrs. - declared she
would never consent to receiving as n SON
in law any candidate for the poorhouse.
and averrng that he who aspired to such
position must possess property valued
at half million


Just before the war a young trenchman
came here with letters of Introduction,
claiming to be the son of a wealthy WINE
dealer in Bordeux Among other houses
which he visited was that of the now re-
tired South stree merchant. He paid
court to the eide. lughter and assumed
10 be violently in love with her; and in
less than six menths they were married.
The br egroom was anxious to take his
bride to France, that his father might see
what charming women America contain
ed.


They went abroad; n gay party seeing
them off, and dislnissing them to happy
/ honeymoon. The bride, after reaching
Europe, very frequently wrote to her
father tor money, though he had literally
supplied her on setting out always giving
some special reason why she was in need.
She had been welded q little more than a
twelvemonth. when the whole truth came
oct in her letters written home.


Her husband was an adventurer; he had
lived in Bordeux. but his father was not
a rich wine merchant, nor, indeed, did he
know who his father was. His letters OF
introduction had been forged, and in truth.
forgery was bis only profession, having
several times been arrested and narrowly
escaped Imprisonment for that crime. As
soon as he had reached the continent he
had gambled away whatever money his
wife had and then compelled her to write
home for more. He not only neglected
and was openly disloyal to her, but he
abused her savagely and even beat her,
all of which she bore without complaint.
At last he deserted her, leaving her almost
penniless in PARIS. Then she disclosed
what have related and returned to New
York. miserable and broken hearted
woman, dying two years after her deser-
tion.