A RUNAWAY MATCH ON THE OHIO.

Evening Post, Volume XXI, Issue 88, 16 April 1881, Page 4

A RUNAWAY MATCH ON THE OHIO.

A romantic incident, closely resembling in its details the story of "Lord Ullin's daughter," occurred recently at Maysville, Kentucky. Maysvillo is on the Ohio River, and just opposite, in Ohio, is the little town of Aberdeen, a favorite resort for runaway couples from the other State. By some peculiarity of the law, Justices of the Peace at Aberdeen have authority to marry couples applying to them for this purpose whose parents live outside the State, whether the applicants are of age or not; and the little ferry-boat which plies on the river for the convenience of the fugitives bears the name of Gretna Green. Last month the boat was laid up on account of the heavy ice floating in the river; crossing by any means was considered not only unsafe but entirely impracticable, and several couples who had come to the river expecting to bo ferried over were doomed to disappointment. One day two or three weeks ago, however, a young couple arrived whose oaso was urgent. They had left their mountain home the previous night on horseback, and had galloped at full speed to the crossing, hotly pursued by the young lady's father. Miss Annie Stamper, for suoh was her name, ia " a very pretty blonde, and a fair type of mountain loveliness;" while Mr. Leander Scraggs, her lover, is " a brawny fellow, six feet three in his sooks." On finding themselves halted on the river-side by the ice-flood, Mißs Stamper burst into tears, and Mr. Soraggs used very strong language. This so moved the hearts of an assembled crowd that two hardy fellows volunteered to attempt the passage of the river in a Bkiff. Off went the boat, the spectators oheering at the top of their voices as the volunteer ferrymen forced it through the ice, when suddenly old Mr. Stamper dashed up the river-aide foaming at the mouth, and shouting to his daughter to "come back." The crowd yelled derisively at the enraged father as by almost superhuman exertions on the part of the men the boat reached the other shore. While stopping on land Mr. Soraggs waved his hat triumphantly, lost his balanoe, and tumbled into the river. He was fished out with a boat-hook, and the young couple hurried to tho houss of Squire Beasley, where they Were comfortably married; but the bridegroom was laid up with rheumatism for a few days.