A Practical Joke-Miss Lydia Landt - 1891

LANDT

Posted By: cheryl moonen (email)
Date: 5/23/2017 at 22:14:21

The Clinton Age, Clinton, Iowa, January 23, 1891

A Practical Joke

The Chicago Daily News printed the following from its special correspondent at Milwaukee, Wis.

With glassy, staring eyes, from which the light of reason has fled, with sunken cheeks and despairing moans, Miss Lydia Landt was taken from Oconomowoc, to her home in Davenport, Ia., made hopelessly insane by a series of heartless practical jokes. Miss Landt, who was pretty, vivacious and about 20 years old, went to Oconomowoc, last summer to visit relatives. She soon became a favorite in society. During the winter she formed an attachment for a handsome young man of Oconomowoc, whom she had met at several social gatherings. The young man paid her several slight attentions, but did not even attempt to engage in a flirtation with her. In some manner her unfortunate love affair became known and some of the girls in the village thought the occasion excellent for a practical joke. Accordingly letters signed with the young man’s name were sent to Miss Landt. These were kept up for some time until the poor girl began to realize that something was wrong. When she finally learned of the hoax, the shock was such that her mind gave way. Miss Landt comes of a highly respected family in Iowa, and her friends there think of taking legal steps to punish the perpetrators of the joke.