him if his daughter loved him and should come to him for advice would he give it. “‘Bless your heart, yes, any father would do that,’ said he. “I did not think he could hear me crying softly, and I made no reply for some moments, that my quivering voice might not be the talisman of betrayal. At last I ventured to say, ‘It would be so nice if such were really the case.’ “At that he said, ‘Come here, little girl, and tell me what the trouble is.’ “With that great desire to unload my heart, I could not resist. I needed but one invitation. I told him all. When I had finished he said, ‘I know your father very, very well, and do not think he will consent, but I will help you.’ “‘Oh! you will,’ I exclaimed, ‘I knew you would; you are so good, so kind;’ and I fell upon my knees in front of him. “The plans were quickly made. I was to leave the house the next day, go to the railway station which was but a mile distant, buy a ticket and go to Indianapolis, wait until my benefactor could go to Cincinnati to secure the release of my lover, then they would join me and we would be married. It all carried nicely. After we were married the question arose as to how to keep out of reach of my father’s wrath. That was soon settled by our accepting an invitation to visit our champion in San Francisco. My father made no attempt to follow me so far as I know. “We set up housekeeping in the West. My husband was devoted to me and we could never thank our ‘good Samaritan,’ as we called him, enough for helping us. As you well know, a Southern bud soon bursts into a full grown flower, consequently I was not long in developing into a full fledged woman, and in spite of my tender years, I felt the full importance that devolved upon me, when, after twelve months of wedded life, a baby girl came to brighten our home.