Smyrna times. [volume] (Smyrna, Del.) 1854-1987, 1858-07-01
A Romantic and Pathetic Story of Real
T,ifn

The Cleveland Herald relates the following
affecting narrative, which is represented TO be
no less true than strange:
"We yesterday learned the denouement Of
painful story, equal TO the most thrilling 70.
nance IN interest, but with the circumstances
ana actors OF which we were positively well &C.
quainted.
Some twelve years ago. two young men,
named Clyma and PAUL, lived in a small vii
age not far from the sea coast, in the extreme
west OF England. Both were miners and work.
ers In the same mine, near the village Both
Pald their addresses to the same maiden, though
not with equal success. Clyma prospered so
well IN his suit that day was appointed for
the nuptials, and in due course the banns Of
marriage were asked IN the village church on
the trst OF the three Sundays prescribed BY the
English canon law.
" Before the second Sunday came round, the
rivals met at a wrestling match in the village,
and 1t Glanced that the turn came for them To
wreste together. PAUL was excited. and en-.
deavOred to give his successful rival in love a
wicked fall tut his eagerness worked his de.
feat. lie was thrown to the ground amid the
shouts of the villagers. On sprnging to his
feet he Sworc that he would be revenged and
that Clyma should never marry his intended
bride. From that day he took 10 drinking deep.
ly, and hurled imprecations on his rival
"Tne day before that fixed for the marriage
PAUL told all his acquaintances that he would
be at the wedding, and would find means to
prevent its taking place. Knowing his de-
termlned character, Clyma appeared alarmed
1t the threat, and got some friends to intercede
with PAUL, but in vain.
Late that night, Clyma left the house of his
intended bride for his own cottage. The wav
lay across patch of barren moor, where there
were several open mine shafts, which had been
deserted. and the bottoms of whose black depths
we're now covered with several fathoms of wa
ter. About the same hour, PAUL. was seen
crossing to the same patch of moor from another
direction. A miner, who passed a little later
toward the mine where he worked-it being his
turn for night wOrk-averred, the next day,
that he heard a noise, as if of dispute and
scuffle, but it was too dark to distinguish any
one.
"The marriage was TO take place at ii o.
clock in the morning at the village churce.-
Long before that hour the village was the scene
of great excitement. The hat and necker-
chief of PauIl-the latter torn and bloody-shad
been found near the deepest of the abandoned
pitshafts, and Of PAUL himself nothing could be
found, nor had he been seen since he went to-
wards the moor on the preceding night. The
ground where the articles had been found bore
traces of a scutle having taken place, and to
crown the whole, two buttons recognized as be-
longing to Clyma's coat were discovered among
the earth and stones To those ominous facts
Clyma could only reply that he had met PAUL
at the place mentioned, during the night that
high words were followed by a scufllc and that
he had beaten PAUL, who had retired cursing
him.
"This account was not considered satisfac-
tory, and ClyIna was taken into custody to
await further developments. Several days
passed away; an examination was made of the
pit and the surrounding locality but no trace
could be found of the body. 1t was argued,
however, that ifa stone was attached to the
body before it was thrown into the pit, SO as to
sink it, there would be no probability of its ever
being found. After several examinations before
magistrate, the accused was released from
custody, but only to be Stunned as murderer
by the whole community.
ain the meantime the intended bride became
sick through excitement, 4 violent fever was
succeeded by wasting illness, and after lin
gerng some months, she died of broken heart.
These accumulated ills were too much for the
unhappy object of general suspicion, and in less
than twelve months after what should have
been his wedding day, he became the inmate of
an insane asylum, where he still remains a
hopeless lunatc.
Among the relatives of Clyma was sister,
married to a farmer who, two or three years
after the unhappy occurrence related above,
removed to this country and settled down on a
farm in Northern Illinois, About ten days
since. this sister; while about taking the cars
in Chicago for home, suddenly e..countered the
supposed murdered man. Her excitement was
intense. Drawing him on one side, she made