Smyrna times., 1865-12-13
Story of a Misar.

OCOEy OI MlS6r.
If any of our readers ever 90 over London
Bridge, and look at the beautiful Church Of
St Mary Ovcres, let him think of the mserly
iGrryman and his lovely daughter who piled
there Ill the remote Anglo Saxon times In
IN 1nose ages there was no bridge over the
Thames; and old John Overs who ferried peo-
pie across from the city of London to the
| oorougH Oh southwark, pTospercd at a great
rate. John rented the ferry of the CITY but
so many peopl" crossed from side to side. to-
gether with horses, cattle, and market nrodnce
that ne made very large profit by his work
and, waxing rich, put out his money at usnri
Gus interest, and 50 waxed richer. In time
! (accorilng to the old tract in the British Mn
scum from which Mr.. Timbs uuote1 he r..
qulred an estate equal to that Of the best alder
man IN London; but he always lived in ablect
poverty though, for purposes of business, he
Ekept several servants, and apprentices. He
mad an only daughter, beautiful and pious.
whom he took care to have literally educated
hut " at the cheapest rate" When, however,
she grew ut age to marry he would suffer no
man OF what condition or quality, soever, by
ms good Will, to have any sight of her, much
less access to her" OF course, all his fine pre-
cautions were in vain. You may shut ND Da-
nae IN a braZen tower but Jupiter will find his
way IN somehow But the Jupiter of this
particular legend was a young gallant. who
certainly did not effect his entrance into the
maiden bower IN rain Of gold, for he seems
to have rather sought that commodity than 70
have brought II with him. but who managed
IN some way to obtain three interviews with
Danac while her father was rowing to and fro
ON the river. Finally match was agreed on;
but an unlOOked-f0r circumstance prevented
the desired nuptials
Old John took it into his misery head that
he could save something worth having by starry
Ing himself and all his household for dav: he
therefore tclgned to be dead and caused his
daughter (who reluctantly consented to the
trek to wrap linn in sheet, and lay him out
m ms own chamber, with a taper burning at
his head, and another at his feet, as the man
ner then was. lie took it for granted that all
the people in his house would fast during the
whole day, III sorrow at the event but, watch
ING narrowly from his sheet, he was Mortified
TO md that everybody sang and danced for iov.
and, breaking into the larder began feasting
without check. He bore it as long as he could
without moving; but at length the agony of
eng SO much waste going on about him be-
came greater than he could endure, and, says
the tract, stirring and struggling in his sheet.
Ike ghost with candle III each hand, he
proposed to rise up and rate EN- for their sau-
clness and holiness; when one of them think
ing that the devil WIS about to rise in his like
ness, beng N Il great amaze, catched hold Of
the butt end OF a broken oar which was in the
0HdIuOcI' anu, DClng sturdy knaVe, thinking
to Kill the devil at the first blow, actually struck
out his brains. The sturdy knave was after
ward tried Tor murder, but acquitted, doubtless
to the satisfaction OF all reasonable men, The
fcrryman ; daughter inherited the old mans
estate and the lover, hearing of the news in
tn" country where he then was, posted up to
London as hard as he could but on the way
was thrown from his horse, and broke his neck.
The body OF Overs the terryman was denied
Christian lntcrment, on account of his extor.
tlons and usury and when the triars of Ber-
mOni>cy Abbey consented, for a money con-
Slderatlon, to give little earth for the recep-
ton OF the remains, the abbot, who was away
at the time, no sooner learned the fact on his
return, than he caused the body to be taken
up, and put on the back of an ass, which was
then turned out of the abbey gates, the abbot
praying that the beast might carry the corpse
OF the old uSurer to such Place as he would
best deserve to be buried n The ass there
upon paced oo,emniy along Kent street, and SO
to a certain pond which was then the common
place of execution, and there he shook off his
burden Immediately beneath the gibbet, and
the body Was put under the ground without
any Kind oiceremony. These lamentable events
seem To have permanently Overshadowed the
spirits OF fair Mary Overs, and to have turned
her thoughts from this world 10 the next; for
she dedicated her wealth to the building ofthO
Church of St. Mary Overes (so called after
herr and then retired into conuent