Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1845-08-22

seen minutes, the clergyman arrived. Thu
nousekeeper was called in as witness
and the ceremony nywascommenged. As h
'Uas Pronouncing the concluding
entered the apartment. Alarmed at he
Protracted absence, | went in pursuit o
her Coniounded at the scene passing be
lore me, for a few minutes Ihad no power
TO utter raword. The clergyman avoided
my eye; and appeared to be ina greathu
ny to depart. When he took leave Nor
gross accompanied him to the outer door
wherethey stopped for some conversation.
In the mean time Agnes in hurried man.
ner Informed meof ell that had taken place.
] knew at'once that the story imp'icatng
her brother was base fabrication devised
by Norcross to oentrapher into marrying him,
for in less than half and hour after she bad
left me, letters were brought from him, one
for me, and the other for her, by which
found that nearly a week previous he had
embarked for Europe in company with a
gentleman of his acquaintance. The mo-
ment she tound how bascly she he'd been
deceived she determined on e1ectng hay
escape, "'We will at least make the at
tempt said |, and begging her to be calm,
] opened a door that led to the back pant Of
rthe house. I toldherto follow ne. We
passed rapidly through several apartments,
without encounterng single person, and
soon found ourselves in the open air. /
conducted hertz the house Of friend. then
proceeded Immediately home, and, as I had
anticipated, found Norcros5 already there.
lie steruIy questioned me as to the place
had secreted her, and finally had recourse
20 threats. lie found, however, that was
not easily to be nlimidated made an
effort to persuade her to remain where she
was, hut soon tordd that the constant
apprehension She suffered lest Norcross
should discover her, was seriously affecting
lher health, which caused 'us'to adopt the
plan nOI seeking some distant and retired
place in the country, where we hoped to
'eludehs search. thought at the time
$50 provdentialy entered upon the scene,
that the G0unlenance Of the person who
performed the marrlage ceremony was ia
mar to me, bat it was impossible for me
10 remember when or where had seen him
1t was not until had arrived here, and felt
somewhGtmore at ease, thatI so far coIIec-
ted my thoughts rs to feel sure that it was
eilherOperson Of infamous character,whose
name is Whihleton, or some one who re-
Bembled him. Immediately addressed IL
deter to Whfflpton, under cover Of one to
my lawyer, in which | boldly accused him
of performing mock ceremony of marriage
between NOrcross and my niece. An an
swer from him, addressed, according to my
instmotione, to Mrs. Allen, was coon re-
oCeiyed, in which he plead guilty to my nc
Cusatons, and offered, for certain sum,
which he named, TO send me the letter OF
Norcross which lhdve already alluded to-
He at the same time inimated that if
chose to withhold the bribe, he should des-
troy the letter. ! of course did not hesitate
to comply with his rPquishion, but his char
.aCter on tho score of veracity being such
that could observation-disclosures in.him, /
forehOre to mention a word Of what was
going on to Agnes, lest it should prove that
4or the sakeUf extortiHg money he had been
misleading me. BY the letter Of Norcross,
in which the whole plan is minutriy detail |
ed, 1t seemed that he was afraid to engage
a real clergyman to perform the ceremony, |
lest the distressed Agnes, and the undis-
gused ubhOTenre with which she regarded |
min, should lead to enquiries that would
illustrate the whole Iniguitous scheme"
The foregoing narrative, though rather
long, had proved highly interesting and sat
isIaclory to her auditors, with tie exception
OF Norcross, who, at a moment when he
Imagined himself unObservpd, left the gol-
den with cutie Il cTest-l&Ilen cir. 1t was
not until fairly ourof their hcaring, thathe
venured to pour icrlh lew deep inpre-
cations upon the whole human family, and
upon maiden aunts in particular.
The little porty, that all this time had
been there round the great rose bush, as if
II wereG thing Of human IceIingaand SYM
palhlcs, now proposed 10 return to the
house that Mrs. Vernon might no longer
semuin in ignorance OF what had made |
zhom p 50 bappy.
If space only permitted, it would he II
great pleasure 10 describe the lrrh and be-
coming bridal dress which Mr4. DOrmpr
soon afterwards ordered for Agnes, as well !
as the excellent pies and puddnpa, which |
IN retired country places, no less than the
loaf Of plumh-cake, ere considered rcquis-
ate inr the wedding feast. It is certain,
however, that all present were setsGod |
with their entertainments, and unanimous
Gytqocd that Lionel ard Agnes were by
fiarthc nCndsomcst couple that ever came
lo1he honor OF being married by their mini
.istcr though he had been ther pastor more |
'ihan Eve and twcntyyears. Al, too, were |
IN rapture with their neat cottage, which !
tnappencd to be t1rsalc at preciaeiy the right |
.lme. 1t was likewise situated precisely in !
'therightapot, as Mrs. Vernon could at any
Imr hy only going to the window, zee II !
cleaning through the trees and shUbhery
10y which it was surrounded. This was
great comfort to her when the weather was
stormy and UnpleoaGnt, or when she was
TOO busy at home to take herecwing or knit
Hng,tnd run in for a few minutes to chat
with Mrs DormerGnd her daughtcr-in.la law.
And on long winter evenings though ever
30 cold and tempcstuous, Mr. and Mrs.