The Sun.
London, England, 1827-05-17 00:00:00

SINGULAR ELOPEMENT.

Some weeks ago, we had occasion to notice a
couple, who, preparatory to their being joined
together in the bands of matrimony, had their
names proclaimed in their respective parishesin
the near neighbourhood of this town ; but unfor-
nately, or rather fortunately, for the young
bridegroom, his cher amie took it into her wise
head to run away with another man. The cir-
cumstances of her, elopement we are now enabled
to lay before"our readers. A quondam lover of
the bride's—a ploughman of the parish of Tin-
wald—having heard of the proclamation of the
banns, and being, much nettled, at the idea of
losing her for ever, immediately -repaired to the
place of her residence, to see what could be_ done
to' retrieve her. . Hiving there met with aneigh-
bouring herd-boy, whom he .soon induced, by a
present of a few sweetmeats, purchased from
one of our travelling confectioners, to go and
inform Miss that 'a disconsolate lover,
almost at the point of despair, was just now
in waiting-at the end of the adjoining field; very
desirous of having an interview With -her- fora few
moments. No sooner had the boy delivered the
message, and described the dress and appearaUce
of his employer, than the bride's maid, who was
in company with the bride at the time, assisting
to forward the wedding brazes, took speech in
hand, averring that it was very improper fdr a
person in her circumstances to speak privately
with any young man, particularly one who had
formerly paid his addresses.to her. But all the
etiquette of the former was quite inadequate to
prevent her from giving him the meeting. Away,
therefore, she went ; and what, could her more
decorous handmaid do but follow close at her
heels, and see that the absent bridegroom got
fair play ? But fair play he was not destined to
get ; for the man of the soil plied the fair one
so earnestly, that she began to lend an ear to
his sorrows. The maid now seeing that no in-
terference of her's' would avail any thing, and
being disgusted at the want of decorum in her
principal, soon left them to their own tete-a-tete,
and in high
.dudgeon returned to the house.
Being left alone, they soon came to•an under-
standing ; and it was arranged that the victorious
lover should return in the evening, " when all
were fast asleep," with a vehicle to assist them
in putting their design into more speedy execu-
tion. But as the fair one had more than once
experienced the fickleness of this gentleman
during their former acquaintance, she was de-
termined to have a token of his sincerity,
and therefore demanded his watch and great
coat as a pledge, till his return. Matters
being_ thus amicably concluded, the swam,
chuckling at his success, hastened at the
time to receive his ready-made bride. But,
'haste
it was owing to . the over-anxious
'haste of the lover, or the unusual tardiness of
the grand-papa in retiring to rest, is not quite
clear, but true it is, that the lady was only half-,
dressed when he arrived ; and as delay in such
matters is always dangerous, she threw her cloak
about her, sprung into a shaudradan which had
been provided for her, and declared, that rather
than be disappointed now, she would finish her
toilette in Lochmaben. Crack went the whip, and
the tough old poster soon conveyed the amorous
couple beyond the reach of danger, and were
pretty far advanced on the road to the ancient
Queen of the " mony lochs," before the alarm
was given in Terregles that the bride. was no-
where to be found. Arrived at the place of
destination, the lady, with the help of a waiting-
maid, soon completed her dress, which, in the
hurry of the moment, had been left unfinished,
and the parties were, without farther delay,
ushered into the presence of the officiating ma-
gistrate, where they were both tied as fast as the
fetters of the law and the silken cords of love
could bind them, proving the correctness of the
old adage,—" that a faint heart never soon a
fair lady."—Correspondent of Dumfries Cou-
rier.

The Dowager Queen of Wirtemburg will also
honour the races with her presence, and remain
at Frogmore during the week with her Royal
Sister.—Brighton Paper.

A farmer in this neighbourhood having a dog
which greatly annoyed people by his incessant
yelling, took it into his head, that if he cut the
tail off the dog, it would prevent his barking in
future. He accordingly got a neighbour to hold
the dog across a block of wood, intending to
cut the tail off' himself with an axe ; but, in his
blundering stupidity, instead of striking the tail,
he cut the poor animal asunder through the
body !—Brighton Paper.