Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1850-05-31
The Broken Heart.

About forty years since young man In the neigh
borhood of Drogheda Ireland paid his addresses to
young woman, farmers daughter and although
his attentions were not approved of by her friends.
yet she encouraged him to hope and eventually pro-
missed to marry him. His circumstances not being
the best and believing he ght trust to her fidelity
he was inclined to defer the ceremony until he could
realize competence sufficient to make her COM
Portable; but Mary being sought after by many, pres
sed by her parents to decide and believing his delay
from Indifference, at lenght became dissatisfied,
and told him she would wait no longer but would
marry the first man who would ask her He, think
ing her declaration arose from sudden caprice,
carelessy told her to do So and they parted anger
The miller of Mellifont was douse, warm mid
dle-aged bachelor, boorish in his appearance, and
scottish in his manners but withal having the name
of money, and comfortable situation in the mill,
he was far from being object of Indifference to
the parents Of unmarried females. Having long re-
garded Mary with wstful eye, and been often pro-
posed for her acceptance by her friends, she now,
while warm with indignation against James for what
she considered his falsehOod consented to marry him
and requesting that it might be done as pos
sibe, no time lost everything was prepared for
the wedding, and before the expiration of twenty
four hours she was his wife.
Among the guests invited, James was not forgot
ten perhaps she wanted to EMO sort of triumph
over him. and prove she could marry without him.
He attended but was downcast and sorrowful taking
no part in the boisterous merriment so general at
country weddings, and appearing to pay no attention
to what was passing around him. After the bride
hand retired, her husband the miller having lndul-
ged rather freely, carried up state of insen-
siblity and laid beside her. and the lights being
moved, she had full leisure to reflect her hasty
conduct and rash treatment of James, who she now
found possessed her heart, although her hand was
| anothers.
Ere long she perceived figure seated near the
beds foot, and eagerly asking, Who's there !" was
answered by James
at is me, Mary, don't be alarmed!"
! "Why James, said she, d" this is very improper
conduct; am the wife of another, and if my hus-
band awakens, any person should see you here, it
will destroy me; you must leave, or will call the
people I'M
II can't, Mary, for my heart is breaking!"
She still insisted he should leave her, but still re-
ceived no other answer than" Mary, can't, my
heart is breaking!"
| At length he sank exhausted on the bed. Mary
greatly alarmed called aloud, and the company, com
ing in, found him dead on the beds foot his heart
having really broken. All confused His
body conveyed to his residence, few miles dis
ant and his friends having in vain tried every me-
thod to restore him, he was laid out to be walked.
The practice then to put the body ''undel
board" that is, the under frame of large table
over which sheet was placed, which, falling down
over the ends and sides entirely concealed the
on the table they placed candles tobacco pipes &c
He walked for two days and all the neighbor
hood made poor Mary the object of their reproach
She never left her apartment but sat seemingly un
However, on the second MI ht she missed she
had left her house unperceived and had gone no
knew whittier; and as she could not be found after
the strctest search it supposed she had drowned
herself in the river.
i In the morning preparations were made for bury
ing James, but in proceeding to put his body into thu
coffin, they found the unfortunate Mary dead beside
him. She had stolen unperceived under the table
and having insinuated her arm under his head ant
placed his around her neck, had, in that posi-
tiOn hid alden to all her SORROWS
Little now remains to be told. They were buriet
in one grave, in Mellifront Abbey: and although il
life they separated, in death they not di
vided.
AN ARKANSAS BREAK DowN-A friend of our
went over in Arkansas few weeks ago to attend
break-down"-that is dance. The ladies, upo
the OCCASION were arrayed in their best, with all tn
gay colors which an uncultivated taste could sug
i gest. The gentlemen were dressed in homespu
clothes and none but our friend had broadcloth up
on his back. During the evening, sweet potatoes G
an enormous sze roasted in the ashes, were handle
around to the company together with handful
salt for each guest. A beautiful young lady 500
became smitten with our friend, (perhaps with hi
magnificent moustaches, resolved to dance with him
She thereup0n turned to a friend and addressed he
in these words: g Sal, hold my later while | trC
round with that nice boss what's got on stor
clothes" Our yound friend was clinched accordingly
he couldn't extricate himself from the grip of tn
rustic beauty. and he obliged to "trot round
after her for one mortal long hour before he coul
obtain respite from his labors He made his es
cape the first opportunity, resolved that ne neve
again would go to an Arkansas breakdown.
| Memphis Express