The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-07-21

Illness OF their Wit ana G+e pungency OF tneir
repartee were superior Is. vivacity to what we
find in more cultivated s,rcles. While every
thing considered vulgar O. obscene was severe
ly prescribed, their idea q delicacy was looser
than ours.
Under these circumstances, it is no wonder
that deep, strong, and earnest attachment often
sprang up before the subjects we're aware of it
themselves. When in such cases the parents
threw no obstacle in eaS way of their union,
their life of course would -,e happy, in toll
and poverty. But whee :, was otherwise, there
was inevitably either npth suffering or a run
away match often botll.
About four miles fre.n US, lived family of
McBrides, who were ras aer better to do in the
world than their neighSorI. One of the daugh
tiers ran away with yotnl, man who had moth
ing to support her but teo.wilhng hands. They
went to Scotland, and the father disowned her,
calling another child by Tie same name, to let
it be known that she -sss to him the same as
her with young child: a, nothing to support
it. 1t was hard necessi y, but she resolved to
60 back to Ireland, and beg TO be again received
under the paternal roofs On cold winter night,
she called at the old familiar door. They knew
her voice, and ran to open the door, but Nc
Bride had sworn an oatp, and was in no humor
to break it, With stern voice, he ordered
them away from the door and locked it, She
told him that her child Wa suffering with cold,
and asked nights lodgi.g. She begged, if it
was but to see her mot er. He ordered her
away, and threatened to- 81 DOT any Of the family
who would attempt tc. pen the door. She
went away, and founds rlore hospitable door
elsewhere. She is now isa red again, and lives
III the city of New York / believe her present
husband is nearly as rich Is her father.
Forty years ago, Mr.. Porter was pastor of
Seceder congregation nefr Rathfriand. His
daughter ran away, andsmarried his serving
man. He brought her Pack, and frightened
he rendered her child illee itmate in the eyes of
the law. He took his text .om Numbers xxx, s.,
and preached three Sermons on the subject.
be succeeded in conviaSi ing the most of his
congregation that he VA in the right.
doubt much whether he convinced himself
She lived in his house az ser days. She never
went abroad, except 10 Fl arch. She never en-
tered his parlor when =, had company, and
those who saw her said 81 appeared more like
scullion than the accomplished young lady
that she was.
Rev Mr.. Maine ha ssslso daughter, who
left him i'll the same W. 3 He got the track of
her and her beau, fsSilowed them to Bel
fast, where he overtoolsstLem the second day.
He sent his servant in frs, to whom the cour-
ageous bridegroom talked with great freedom.
But when he learned that Mr.. Maine was at
the door, he jumped o5t Of q back window, and
cleared himself
Miss Maine was highly offended as well she
might be, that he for when she had left her
fathers roof should uxan15est so little courage
for her, and came direct-f out to her father.
" Are you married YETI. asked he. No."
she replied. !" would have been, but we could
get no one to perform the Ceremony except a
buckle beggar, and / had too much regard for
your coat to submit to that disgrace" Well"
said he, Z" if you are not married, jump on be
hind me, and return hone AS they were
riding back, the valiant bridegroom, who had
got ahead of them, collected the free masons,
as he belonged to that fraternity and waYlaid
him, in order to take the 2 RI from him by force.
Mr.. Maine rode up till they began to close in
on him. He then showed them the master
mason sign, when one went to the right, and
another to the left, &C., leaving the clergyman
to pass on, and the disappointed lover to skulk
away. 1t was with much astonishment that "a
congregation of strict Presbyterans learned
that their pastor had once belonged to a secret
society. But as he never: frequented lodge
since he came from Scotland, and as his rep
utation for orthodoxy and.piety stood high, no
notice was taken of it.
About fifty years ago. an affair Of the same
kind took place in the higher circles, which
had tragical end. Edward Mcknight and
Miss Knox both belonged to the class of pri-
vate gentry. She lived if. the western part of
county Londonderry, ands he in the opposite
side, near the river Bann. After they had kept
company some time, her father forbade her to
receive his addresses, and interdicted him from
coming to the house. | nSver could learn his
reason. Some said it waz quarrel with the
elder Mcknight others said it was because
the latter had become depressed in circum-
stances. Opposite Miss Ms chamber window
there was beautiful grove on a sloping hill,
not more than thirty. rods from the house,
whittier young Mcknight resorted, and talked
with her by signals. When she knew there
was no danger of discovery, she would give
him notice, and he would come up to her win
dow. This, however, was discovered, and stop
ped. After this, they carried on correspond
ence by means of a half.crazy beggar man, In
time, however, this was discovered, too, and
the beggar man forbidden to approach the
house. considerable time after this, Mr..
Knox was riding out with his daughter, when
some one came and gave him notice that Ed
ward Mcknight was coming to take his daugh-
ter from him by force. He ordered his servant
to see that the pistols were in good condition.
Shortly they met Mcknight in his carriage.
This CONVINCED the old gentleman that what
he had heard was true, and he ordered the
servant to shoot. The servant had more dis
erection than his master, and had loaded one of
the pistols with cold sowans. 1t was this one
he now used, Mcknight was struck, aud i'm
agined that he was wounded, and returned the
shot The GIRL to prevent bloodshed, threw
herself before her father, but it was too late.
II III II Il
killed, while the old man escaped unhurt. A
horse was Immediately cut loose out of Nc
Naughts carriage, and he fled on horseback,
but the pursuit was close. He hid in hay
NOW, giving man q guinea not to tell Yhere
be was. The man who took the money kept
his promise in form, but not in fact. When
asked, he made no answer, but pointed with
bis arm to the hay-mow. Although be fed in
the first instance, yet afterwards he made no
effort to save his life. He pleaded guilty, and
only asked for speedy execution, A petition
was got up, and largely signed, fur his pardon,
but he refused to sign it himself, saying that
he had nothing now to live for. When he was
hanged, the rope broke. AS the law then stood,
he had right to a reprieve till new warrant
could be obtained, or a pardon sued out, but
he refused to avail himself of the privilege 1t
is terrible thing to be hanged second
time. Men of strong physioal courage may
dapRtlessly moontt the scafold, coolly address
the crowd, and stand unmoyed while the rope
is adjusted but to feel the trap-dooF yielding
under the feet, to say nothing of the tremen-
dous shock that follows, entirely prostrates the
animal spirits. So they thought it would be
with Mcknight, and as soon as he recovered
his senses, the petition was handed him, but
again he refused to signit. Then his friends
asked him to crave his reprieve, but he said,
No; they viii never say Miss Knox loved one
who WAS more afraid of death than she was