Squatter sovereign., 1856-03-04
Extraordinary Marriage.


Squire John Bradsher, of Person county,
N. c., had been q widower for only few
months. . After the loss Of his partner he
felt sadly Oppressed with the unwonsed loneli-
ness of his situation, and naturally fell into
visiting Miss Frankly Lee, of the neigh
borhood, by way Of dispelling his gloom.
L is not in human nailre nature for two
persons Of opposite sexes. with warm I'M
pulses and throbbing hearts, to associate
constantly and Immediately without becom-
ing strongly attached the one to the other.
The thought at first. perhaps, entered the
brain of neither. But Miss Frankly. as is
the saying, had the quilts. Twelve shous-
and was her dowry. This, with her other
attractions, for mind you. sheswas only So,
operated like magic on the ardent nature
Of the squire, who, though in his seventeen
year. was rejuvenised by the Inspiration of
Miss Franky's smile. He therefore found
no difficulty in making up his mind to marry
aer if he could. He proposed-she accep-
ted. The morning Of Saturday, the 18th
Of July, Just passed, at eight o'clock, was
| fixed on for the marriage. The squire
procured his license, paid an extra price
for it in view of the expected accession to
his wealth, employed parson, rugged him
self off in suit of black, and made every
other imaginary preliminary arrangement
| for the ceremony which WAS TO consutnmate
his bliss.
The daughters Of Mr. Samuel Johnson,
another widower of the neighborhood, were
invited to the wedding. Johnson was on
ly 57-Miss Frankly age exactly. They
had been children together; and while
they were both young they had loved. He
was not satisfied that she and the Squire
should marry. On the Friday evening,
the day before the expected wedding, see-
ing neighbor pass his house he hailed
him. The neighbor found Johnson very
much excited and disturbed. Johnson sta
ted to him that he could not bear the thought
of Miss Franky's marrying squire Brad
sher, and that he wanted I'm to go to Miss
Frankly at once, and say to her for him
that if she preferred marrying hin to
| squire Bradsher she could do SO. The
neighbor returned insisted on his writing
to her letter to this effect, offering to de-
liver it, No." says he, IS am entirely
too nervous to hold pen. You must go
and deliver the message" Finally he con-
scented, and repairedto Miss Franky's res
idenee, charged with his message of love.
Miss Frankly, in reply, authorised him TO
say to Mr.. johnson that if he could get
ready at sunrise the next morning, she
would marry him.
It was then in the afternoon. Having
no time to spare, he put off under whip
and spur to Rozborough, the county seat,
for his license, and at the same moment
started off a servant to Leasburg for
parson.
Mr.. Johnson, the minister who had been
engaged to officiate, and the friend who
had borne the message of love between
Miss Frankly and the bridegroom, were at
their post at the appointed hour. The
marriage rites were performed. and Miss
Frankly Lee became Mrs. Frankly John
son.
An hour afterward squire Bradsher and
his retinue were to come. Accordingly
the bride hastily addressed note to the
squire, informing him that she was no
longer Miss Frankly Lee but Mrs. Frankly
Johnson, and that he need not trouble HIM
self any farther about her.
The astonished yet incredulous squire
could not believe the note authentic. but
regarded it as hoax attempted to be prac-
Used upon him by some of the wild men Of
the neigEborhood. To settle the matter
/ he fastened over to see his inamorata.
| Arrived in her presence he presented the
note to her, and inquired if she wrote 1t.
She replied Ia the affirmative Ineeased
at her faithlessness. he indulged (who that
| is mortal would not p IN bitter Complains
of her i'll treatment, Johnson meantime
lin the next room, reclining on sofa, COST
/ ly smoking his pipe. and listening with
more of merriment than resentment to the
imprecations heaped upon his bride.) In
deed, having foiled his competitor while in
the very act of plucking the fruit for which
he so much yearned, he could well afford
to endure the pain of few bitter re-
! proaches. -
After = free ebulision of his indignation
] the squire retired. resolved. as our infor-
mant tells Us. upon a resort to the law 10
staunrh his heart wounds, and heal. as far
as possible, his bruised and laceraied afsc-
! tons 50
Having derived these facts from m.