Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-03-30
THE HEROICs OF WIFE.STEaLING


GFrom APpleton's New American Cyclopedis. ;.
The abduction of wives is not a prevalent
practice in our times. Few BOtbwells are to be
found now; in most instances where ladies de-
sert their lords, the ladies are the persuading
or at least the cOnsenting parties. In this
latter case, the husband is entitled to damages
In proportion to the loss sustained When per-
sonsl violence has been used, the crime is of
graver character, and subjects the perpetrator
TO imprisonment for years, at the pleasure of
the court. That branch of the science of abduc-
ton which consists In the carrying away of un-
married women generally, and heiresses in par
ticular, is, however, decidedly the most distin-
guIshed, being able to boast of a longer dura-
ton than either of its sister branches The
abduction OF the Sabine virgins by the Roman
youths carries IL back to the most mysterious
and misty period of the early history of Rome
and from that time il has continued to flourish
down to the present day.
Among every nation of Europe, with the ex-
ceptiOn OF the Turks among whom women are
marketable affair, the practice of this species
OF abduction has prevailed and is prevalent
In the days of knig thood, when chivalry, that
nurse of manly ehivalry and SO forth, prevailed,
abduction exploits had at least the incentive of
romantic love; but in our degenerate days of
calculation and economy, they have chiefly
been instigated by more material motives, fat
fortune being more powerful talisman than
the sweetest smile. In the rural portions of the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
1t IS still not unfrequent, where girl is pos
sessed OF comparative wealth in her own right
or likely to inherit it from her parents, for some
neighboring aspirant to arm his relatives de-
scend upon the homestead and carry away the
coveted heiress, holding her in custody until
her parents or guardians submit. Some Sc
we're punishment recently inflicted in England
has, however, had the effect of diminishing its
frequency there. But in ireland it still re-
NH IS
Scarcely month passes in the southern and
western districts Of that enthusiastic country
without the parish being enlivened by some
abducting feat, in which often the gentry play a
leading part; and in the riot and DANCE which
the Irish peasant absolutely revels and reioices
Oftentlmes these abductiOns give birth to
great family and faction fights, one party bat
tling for the recovery and the other for the re-
tentlon of the wearer of the golden fleece, but
recourse Is never had to law, that being deemed
mean and cowardly in the extreme. The chas-
hty OF the maiden is in such cases never soiled
she Is merely held in close endurance, until
after protracted negotiation, in which a dipIo-
macy worthy of NesseIrOde or Talleyrand is
frequently displayed, an arrangement, mutu-
ally and mOnetarily satisfactory, is reached
The negotiations are usually crowned with an
abundant banquet Of whisky and potatoes Of
late, however, the entire Onus Of preserving
untarnished the national prestige has been left
gentry in this line would have probably faded
away, had not Mr.. Garden, a squire from the
celebrated fghtingcOuntyo of Tipperary. stepped
forward to relieve his caste from the imputa-
tons OF degeneracy. The story is fresh and
worthy OF narration as an example of the usual
routine in such cases A Miss Arbuthnot. n
lady OF considerable wealth, was staying on n
visit with her sister, VINO was married to Mr.
Cough. the son and heir of Lord Cough the
hero OF SObraOn, who was a Tipperary boy .
Her fortune was large, and her lovers conse-
quently legion.
Among the most ardent of the throng was
Mr. John Garden, an Irish squire of very
ht;le brains and good deal of land, which he
desired to increase. The lady however loved
wise, but not t0D we'll. Thus fOilel and emu
Ious OF the traditions OF his country and his
house, this gallant Irishman armed q large
band of ruffans with pistols. skull-crackers,
and chiorpiOrm, and putting them near a coun-
try church, where the lady usually attended
on the Sabbath day, made q descent upon her
carriage as she quilted service, AMI attempted
TO carry her away. The daughter of Albion.
however, made vigorous defence and in fact
held brayely her own. Aided by two faithful
attendants and one or two valiant female vol
unteers, she succeeded in putting her assaiI-
ants to a complete rOnte. The perpetrator of the
outrage narrowly escaped transportatio and
was sentenced to Imprisonment and hard labor
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