The Middlebury galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1848-1850, 1848-11-21
DEATH OF MRS. MAFFITT.

| DEA L IL VI MRS. Nj AFFIII.
Considerable excitement has been pros
duced in the community by the unexpect.
ed death Of the young lady who was mar
red to j. n Maffitt, in March of last
year. Since that event, which took place
on the Both ultimo, the papers have given
various accounts of the matter First, it
was said she died of "bilious fever :" then
that it was the result of grief arising
from something which occurred soon after
her unfortunate marriage with Mr. Maffitt
During the winter of 1S46-7, while
Mafftt was carrying on his meetings in the
Centenary Church, Fanny Pierce" or
Frances Smith, was attracted to the
church IN company with several Young
friends, by report that an acquaintance
had experienced religion there The re-
suit was that she continued to attend until
she became impressed, and finally profess
ed conversion and joined the church as
probationer. Soon after this, Frances was
asked by friend of Maffitt, whom we
shall not now name, how 81 would like
TO become the wife of Mr.. Maffitt. TIE
girl in utter establishment, answered,
"Why, he is old enough to be my grand
father % The motives were then laid be-
fore the mind of the unsuspecting girl
Brother Maffitt was very pious man, and
the union would help her in her religions
course she would travel with him and
see the world-he was a very popular
preacher, and mingled in the best society
zshe would be perfect lady, and assoc
ciate with the most accomplished ladies in
the nation. Besides, brother Maffitt was
Uery rich, and he would make her large
presents to begin with, and then she should
never want for anything which was really
desirable
When the girls ear was gained, matters
proceeded rapidly. but secretly. She was
conducted at night, through the basement
of the Centenary Church, and taken
through tie window in at the back door
of the Parsonage, to hold interviews with
Maffitt. She was presented with much
costly jewelry a costly rosewood piano,
SC, &C., all through Mafiitis agent in
the affair. The result was, that the plan
succeeded, and the prey was secured. The
first communication which the mother of
Frances received touching the matter was
made by the same agent, and then she
was told that opposition was useless
Brother Maffitt and Frances were engaged,
and would be married at all events, and
she might as well consent and make the
best Of it,
The marriage was consummated-there
being only thirty-seoen gears differencein
the ages of the partics-but it brought
with it none of the bliss which had beer
promised Frances. As to religious ilfH-
enccs, that had now all evaporated. No,
a word did she hear upon the subject from
Maffitt, or those in his service in the mat
ter of the marriage, from the moment OF
the commencement of the tragedy. She
had Leen carried away with golden dreams
of eievation-her brain bewildered with
phantoms but the period of her intellec-
tual Authorizations was of short dui alton
She soon had to grapple with realities.
But we forbear. A portion of the history
has been given but the rest, and by far
the most mysterious and Illustrative OF
character remains behind.
That the poor gIri was unhappy in her
new and unnatural position was an event
that might have been expected, but that
she would so soon fall victim to her mis-
fortunes has taken all by surprise. She
ever had perfect health until her marriage,
but for the last six months she had been
rapidly sinking under the influence of
grief and modification. She was defam-
ed-the worst attributes of character at
tributed to her-and many Of the tales of
her traducers were, Dy mistaken friends.
whispered in her ears. Her heart sunk
and life became burden. The functions
of the brain became deranged, and she
died in convulsions.-ChUist. AdU. d
Journal