A RUNAWAY COUPLE. ] 19 



cabin. The lady was sitting on a trunk and reading; 

 her companion had gone into the town. I suspected 

 that all was not right, and that the old gentleman had 

 good reasons for coming; but the quiet unconcerned 

 manner of both parties soon did away with my sus- 

 picions. In the first moment indeed her color seemed 

 to change slightly, but she rose quietly, laid aside her 

 book, and offering her hand to the gentleman, said, 

 civilly, " How do you do, sir ? " After a short time 

 they retired into a corner, and spoke very earnestly 

 together. Meantime, I took no more notice of them, 

 but at bedtime I was not a little astonished to see the 

 old gentleman take the husband's place, while the 

 young man, as pale as death, stood by the stove heedless 

 of its burning the tails of his coat. The lady was the 

 wife of the gentleman who came on board at Louisville, 

 and had run away with the young man. The husband 

 had obtained information, and followed them, but 

 would hardly have overtaken them, if the vessel had 

 not stopped to discharge cargo. The cool self-possession 

 exhibited by both parties, in order to avoid observation, 

 was really astonishing ; on his part, in not giving way 

 to his just displeasure, but remaining composed and 

 serious ; on her part, in alloAving nm shock or trace of 

 alarm to be visible, which would have been so natural, 

 when her deeply injured husband, whom she supposed 

 to be 1,400 miles distant, stood suddenly before her. 

 They all three left the boat next morning. 



On the 20th of February I arrived again at Cincin- 

 nati, and was kindly received by all my old acquaint- 

 ances after my long absence and adventures. 



Cincinnati, the queen of the West, the El Dorado of 



