Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1851-10-16
|BEN HARDIx's WIFE.

Rasnanea Is sometimes embodied in d fact six
inchas lons dld Ben Harden, Of KY, got a wife
by fitch add funny straisgeui.
Id theidays of his'young manhood, he was
q week hand on the farm Of wealthy land.
holder in that State, and there sprung up
hetHsen the young laborer and the old
mAras daughter what is often called a secret
aitaahmsiit By the by attachments nro
allys secret. Ben and HIS dulcina made
mp iaattsrs in proper time without theknowl-
edg9 or consent Of his intended fatherin.
laws Indpcd, the old man hadaever suspi.
eionSd thst the aspirations OF the youth wore
tending towards an alliance with his family
-asd III had ever occurred to him ne
weus havp spurned the though. Ben was
. awaS, Of Via arstocratic notions, and of the
exiss,nce 81 lmostinsurmouhtable objections
to ITO maaek, So ono day; consulting the
ingsAEitY 1T his nature, be devised ways and
neas sofhriag il abaut
Gang % tho old man, he taldg him that
unfsttnnstely he had conceived liking for
the daughter off q wealthy farmer in the
neigh borhood- it was impossible 10
gain ahc consent pr the girls fathor-that he
lovssl her and she loved him-aud asked
what course he W uld advise him TO pursue.
Wont she run array with you ? said the
old nan
she aisht, answered Ben, if could
make Ale arrangements. DO yen think IL
weaEd Dc honorable for me TO take adyan-
tagein thstwayH
Certainly, replied the originator Of tho
plos Theto would be nothing wrong
Ran kept at hin, and so eaGsted the old
gentleman that hei made himIa tender Of his
horse and buggy, and a few dimes, to carry
ont the elcpemeat The place of meeting
was srtangod, nd-reader, you know what
followed. ben run off with the old mans
daughter, fact which the old fellow snuffsd
il the next mornings breeze, and one which
chagrined Him net little, Winding up as
novels do--lssn and his vifSwere forgiven
M Tho following lines inscribed on a
board have been put up attho Table Rock
(Niasssal On the spot where Miss Rugg fell
and ni(s hor death
'foh %omsa most beaaieeus of lie human race,
BE careful d dangerous plate,
Miss Martha Rugg 1T the age ofs3,
WA launched into eternilT.p
a correspondent Of she New York Even.
ing Post Claims that there is mach beauty
ofseAtiment in these lines and that they on
the following improved version
!" kuyeiiesi and last creation Of The skies,
Oh woman tried with care whefe danger liest
Young Martha Rusg forgot thai caution here,
And psrishei 10 her shree- andtwcnlisih year
Rs- Here Is match fer tho Kentuckian,
who got into salt bin 10 keep himself from
spelling, frem want efa fight.
There Is a man in Vermont, who has BEEN
fer the last twenty-five years gagged in a
law suit At the last session, BY ssme IA
accountable snisiake Of the lawyers bis suit
Was brought TO close, since which his
health has rapidly declined
He Il trying his best to pick another quar-
rel With somebody, IS he 6hds il impossible
10 exist long out Of his element
M IA stsry IS told Of i yordans daughter
Of Era. a servant ffapns Of eur city families
The FIRST dag shc made her appearance in
the kitcheH,jt the lady of The house was pres,
snt 70 initiate the unsophisiicated daughter
Of Erin, snta the mystery Of cooking. In
prsparihg for dinner, she desired the girl to
bring hert spider sThs what, ma am ,n
inquired Biddy, with great astonishment-
aNhy, tho SPIDER replied tbs lady Of. the
hsdss sThs spither, Is iti Och hewly
Mosss aud do yeatc spitAcrs il this sean-
tryp
~. sTaes seand of yoar hammer SAYS
Or. Franklin. tat ave in The morning. Or
nias IL nigte heard by acrsditor, makes
him easy sixs msnshs longer but if he sees
YOU ii ! Willard table, Or hears your voice Al
a tavern, wAsa ysa should be a. work, he
s0nds fsr hssnaessy The mex. day"
nxr regard az $500 will be given is
ths & 81 astisS man Who discovers enc single
Newspaper borrower that j. wiling to admit
thatfhsreis n1shiug published nowadays
worth reading
& ~ ss1fr scar, What shall 70 name hub b
aWBy. huss We sstsled On Peter II never
knew ! f1sn by the simple Same Of Peter
shat coal ever earn his sail" aWell, then,
eaIl him Salt Peter :
M Dr. 11kpson compared plaintiff and
defen2aui ii an action Of Inv. . two men
dnckinr tkelr heads il ! bueket, and daring
ssth6thsf Il feksia the longest under water