American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1845-07-11

WIS not young, nor was she stTlRllSly DcduIl-
ful, although she might have been at the age
of "sweet sixteen" i'll the eyes of very pas
sionate lover, but now, alas! the mischevous
fingers of time had stolen many charm, leav
ing unmstakable and indeble evidence upon
her features, that she was several years, at
least, the blind side of thirty. c, thirty and
upwards Her appearance was respectable
her manner precise and dignifed, her counter
ance indicating Il fxedness of purpose, not to
commit suicide or die of broken heart-but
fling with her affections.
The defendant was Wdower, we should
Judge, about As, plain sort of farmer, with
nine children, worth some S5,000-which
counsel alleged was an important consideration
with the fair plaintiff in bringing her suit, as
well as listing to his on the start
1t appeared in testimony that the defendant,
soon after losing his first wife, began to think
about getting another, talked to the old women
of the neighborhood about being lonesome
wanted house-keepCr -could'nt stand it so,
Sc, which, as a matter Of course, enlisted their
sympathles. He finally stated his case to a
Mr.. Bolt told him he wished to get married
did not like To marry a woman with family,
because he did not want two kinds of children,
and for a reason not altogether dissimilar, he
was unwilling to wed a maiden lady, unless OF
a certain, OF rather Of an uncertain age.
Upon this statement, said Bolt minated that
Miss Mary Ann Rhodes, or Polly, as he called
her, would be Just fit, and consented to be-
come a proxy, or sort of conductor of mutu-
al love and affection between the two-saw
Miss Rhodes, made known his business to her,
she exclaiming, with some surprise and much
apparent regret, "why couldn't have known
this before for alack and alas, she was en-
gagged to be married to another man in about 4
week. No time was TO be lost, personal in
terview Of lovers was thought advisable-was
had-when and where it was agreed by and
between the said lovers, that the said Miss
Rhodes should most unfeelingy and ungra-
cously sack her former beau, after which she
and the defendant were to become one flesh
This was accordingly done-we mean, the fell
low was sacked-and he like Il true phloso-
pher, to show that there was no love lost, also
that he was punctual in all his business trans
actions, wooed, won and wed another damsel
in about a week thereafter, SO that he was
married at the time first appointed, though not
to Miss Rhodes.
Time passed on. Miss Rhodes carefully
preserving the wedding dress prepared for the
first occasion for the second and making some
other preparations-but Mr.. Miller, in the
mean time, becoming enamored Of a more
youthful and blooming maiden, and in turn
gave Miss Rhodes the 'Emitteh," for which she
brings suit, &c.
The proofs Of the contract and the violation
thereof, by the defendant, were clear and con
elusive; Bolt and certain old ladies, cognizan
of the facts, being quite efficient witnesses, al
admontion to all widowers and bachelors tc
do their counting in propria persona, and be
careful how they trust their secrets 10 others
keeping.
he defendant alleged, by way of defence
that the plaintiff came into the court with a
bad grace to recover damages of him for prac-
Using upon her what she had played off upon
another, and attempted to show in mitigation
of damages, if not in bar of the action, the
plaintiff S general bad character in the neigh
borhood in which she lived, that an improper
intimacy had existed between her and the wit.
ness Bolt, for years; but the proof of these al
/ legations was not veiy conclusive, it seems, to
the minds of the jury, it being little more than
a repetition of neighborhood gossip, and va
rious surmses and insinuations of garrulous
old women, after having RECALLED themselves
with Young Tyson.
One witness, however, was brought upon
Tue stanu VINO sWore 10 enough, Dut the Jury,
it seems, would not believe him. His testimo-
ny, if true, showed him a most shameless vii
lan-if false, very dangerous one-and il
the jury entertained any doubts of his having
impeached himself, they were pretty effectual,
ly dispeled by the testimony of other witness
es.
The proofs being closed, the cause was ably
summed up, on the part of the defendant by
w. Barnes, Esq.-eloquently by E. Van Blu.
rem, on the part of the aggreved. His Ho'
nor, the Judge, committed the cause to the
Jury in charge which showed him not insen.
sible to the wrongs of lovely woman, and the
Jury, after due delberation, returned with a
verdict for the plaintiff of four hundred dol
lars, to compensate her for lacerated feelings
blighted hopes and crushed af1ections-the loss
of a husband worth FIVE thousand dollars, ant
Pine children.