Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1852-03-08
MISCELLANEOUS.
A T'nle.

a 1Oies
The truth Of this relation is unquestidu-
able; il was given by the c!ergymen Of the
place where it happened, and many people
there remember very particularly every
minute circumstance Of II.
About the year i7e6. John Andrew
Gordier. a gentleman Of French ext,ac-
ton. and considerable fortune in the island
Of Jersey. was upon the point Of marrying
the daughter off wealthy merchant Of
Guernsey, but on sudden. he was lost to
his friends and relations, as well as to the
Lady who was to have been his bride; and
notwithstanding the most diligcnt enquiry
on both Islands. with every possible search
that could be made. not the least intelll-
gence could be obtained, either Of lis
death or his retreat.
1t happened, however. that. after time,
when all discourse concerning him had
sul,sideJ, his body was accidcntly found
in Guernsey. hy some boys in travcrsing
the beach, with two wounds in the back.
and one on the head, thrust in the cavity
of rock, wirose mouth was SO small. that
it must have been with difficulty that the
body could I've made to enter it.
The discovery. with those evident proofs
of murder. alarmed the two families; the
former enquiries were in vain renewed;
not the least light. either to countenance
suspicion or to ground conjecture. could
be gathered, to trace out the murderer; and
all that could be done. was TO pay the last
duty to the remains Of the unfortunate
youth, by solemnizing his funeral with all
the marks Of unaff; c,ed sorrow.
The mother Of the young gentleman re-
maincd inconsolable; and the lady to whom
he was soon to have welded, pinei in Sc
cret for the loss Of the only young man in
the world whom she could love. She was
indeed courieJ by young merchant; bnt
though she was, in n manner, constrained
to admit his addresses, she was inwardly
resolved never to give him her hand.
The mother of Gorjier. who never ccas.
ed to ruminaie on the Catastrophe which
had befallen her son, was not little soll
c;tous for the welfare Of the young lady,
whom she looked upon as a daugLter-in-
law. and whom she regarded with the
greatest tenderness. as she heard how Sc
verely she was affected by the sudden dis
appearance of her intended husband.
Some years afterwards, being told the
young lady's lie was in danger, che re-
solved to cross the sea that divides the two
islands in order to afford her every conso-
larion in her pow or, by condoling with her,
sharing her griets. and ,hereby endeavor
TO alleviate the sorrows Of her heart As
attendants in her voyage, Mrs. Gordier
took with her beloved brother. and an
only surviving son. When they arrived.
they were advised by the apo,hecary who
attended the young lady. not to surprise
her by an unlookcd-for visit, till she was
prepared by degrees to receive it; but not
" outstanding all the care that could be ia
ken. the sight of the mother brought to her
mind the full remembrance of the son, and
the shock was too great for her weak spir-
it to bear: she tainted upon the approach
of Mrs. Gordier and it was with difficult
~ that she was brought to herself The
mother was curious to know every little
circumstance that attended the last inter-
view of the young lovers. and of all that
had passed since the discovery Of the mur
der Of her son; and the young lady was
no less earnest to prolong the convcrsa-
ton. but her fits returned at almost every
period, and she could only say how ten
DERBY they parted, and with what ardency
she expected his promised return the next
day. 1t was no small concern to the af-
Acicd mother, 10 see the poor lady in thi,
weak state, dying. as she plainly perceived
she was, OF a broken heart; and the COM
pany present could not forbear vehement
cxccrations against thcauthor of the double
distress.
Mrs. Gordier. all, on sudden. burs, in
TO a food of tears. on seeing jewel pen.
dant TO the young lady's watch, which she
knew her son had purchased as present
to her. before he left the island of Jersey.
The violence of her grefwas observed by
the young glady.who had just spirit enough
to ask her the immedate cause. Being
told, that the sight ofa jewel. the presenta-
tion of which to his beloved bride, was to
be the pledge oflhrir mutual happiness, re-
vived in her mind her irrrparable loss; the
young lady was seemingly struck with
horror and as,onishment at the dcclara.
ton, and touching the jewel as with an ex-
presslon Of contempt, sunk into the arms OF
her weeping visiicr, and without uttering
a single word. except only M. Cl-e-r.
breathed her last
The manner Of her expiring seemed to
involve a mystery. All present were as
tonished. The confusion which her death
occasioncd. stepped, for some time. all
further utterance; but when every means
had been used to restore her without being
able to bring her to life. and when. the eli:
fusion Of sorrow, poured fourth at her
death, had for while ceased. all who
were present began to speak what they
thought of her behavior in her last dying
moments. Mrs. Gordier. " no was totally
unacquainted with the soft and delicate
temper Of the deceased could not help
dropping some unfavorableexpres con
corning her manner Of leaving the world
which, she thought. plainly enough indi
Gated knowledge of the murder. Her
own parents who were present at this last
affecting scene, fred with Indignation al
the unspotted innocence Of their durlins
child. could not help rescnting the ungcne.
rous Interpretation put upon the late clos;
ing moments of her blameless life. A
scene ofirouble and mutual reproach en-
sued which is easier TO conceive than to re-
late. When the commotion, however
was little abaied. and reason began te
take place, the friends Of both families very
cordially interposed and endeavored to re-
concile the mothers by cool examination
Of the circumstance that occasioncd in the
unreasonable heat.
Young Mr.. Gordier rccollected. that he
had heard his brother declare. that the jew
ell in question was to have been presented
TO his bride on her edding day. ant
therefore. as that had never happened. hi.