Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1867-09-04
soMEru!NG ABOUT A MURDER.
POUNDED on FACT.

Comyn, the Ohl[ GauShteT Vi QUO vi l''
.strictcst and sternest old ministers thai
ever adhered to Calvin. Yet Mr.. Comyl
was thoroughly conscientious in all hi,
views; and when he irowned, he did ii
not through love Of frowning, hut that 1t
hoped, by gathering cloud upon hi
brows, to bring down from those eyes
upon which he frowued such showers o
repentance rs refresh and make green the
soul sin-withered and sere from the harsh
and ct suns of vice. Hc was i'll truth
Il worthy and good man-somewhat mar.
row of mind and bigotcd Of creed, it may
be- but utterly incapable of committing
an ungenerous or dishonorabic action.
Still. greatly as he loved his winsome
,langhter, much as he priced her for that
deal woman's sake. who, as long as she
lay in his bosom. had brought him com
fort. and happiness, and honor, he was
something overharsh with her, niggardly
in the bestowing of caresses, and liberal
in the gift of unnecessary rebuke. Yer:
severe, then, was his displeasure whel
she confessed to him, with many bushes
that she loved her young Episcopaiian
kinsman, John Percival.
The cousins had not been reared TO-
gather; nor had they even met before
the youth had passed his twenty.fflf
year, the girl her nineteenth.
lie had been brought up in England
of which country his father was an emf
nent physician lately deceased, who hno
bequeathed to his only son his profession
al ability, with ample means of com
mcncing his career i'll handsome man
her. When re first came to Scotland te
visit his mothers sister, he found her !:
corpse and there. in the house. of mourn
ing, the consoler of the motherless Bar
bara he learned to love her with . sin
ccrity of affection to which she fully re
sponded. Great was his pexation an
surprise to receive stern denia of hi,
suit from the minister, who, although he
had never testified any degree of PARTIAL
ty for his wife's nephew, had nevertheless
cvinced no dislike of him. But when re
specially called upon to assign reason
Tor so unexpected rejection, he brief,
said that no child OF his should, with HI:
blessing wed amy man who was not !
strict Presbyterian; and that, moreover
he had other views for his daughter.
Nor were the tears of his kind hearted
but timid old maiden sister, of any effect
His obstinacy was not to be subdued
nor his will opposed; and the unreentn&
preacher, who taught humility, love, ant
concord, from his pulpit, and who coult
produce not one sensible reason fol
thwarting the attachment of two amiabl,
creatures, concluded the scene by flying
into a furious passion, in which he gave
John Percival clearly to understand tha
he was no longer an acceptable, or ever
permitted. guest.
The young man left the manse imme
diately, and was not slow in quitting
Scotland but love, which teaches many
things, taught the knsfolk means of keep
Ing up, though at rare intervals, an epis
tolary communion-so frequently til,
one sustaining prop Ct two divided
hearts !
A year or more passed-fnding then
true to each othe'' Barbara refused sew
eral excellent proposals of marriage, no.
did her father persecute her with express
ed wishes for her acceptance of any 0
them-until, at length, he introduced tc
her one Mr.. Bruce, wealthy clothing
merchant from Glasgow. He was mal
of about fifty years of age, of a well
favored and portly presence, and account
ed . sure, and somewhat sour follower o
Mr.. Comyn's favorite creed. Barbar:
had frequently heard her father speal
highly Of his Glasgow friend, but as nc
warning had prepared her, she was very
far from dreaming of the character he
was about to perform in her presence
and, and, indeed, the wooing Of the honest
clothier was neither very active nor op
pressive-but, alas, for all that, it was
steadfast and resolute.
A wonderful deal of what they deem
cd religious discussion" was carried OF
betwixt Mr.. Bruce and the minister du
ring the visit Of the former at the manse
which we have omitted to state was sit
uated out of the town of Aberdeen, in ;
retired strath, or valley, full of hazel.
and sloe-bushes, with the Dee running
through them like huge silver snake
Although little more than half mile
from Aberdeen, and much nearer the
church of which Mr.. Comyn was minis
ter, the mansc, seemed as lonely and
quiet as if thirty miles lay between il
and busy, populous town. Now, though
Mr.. Bruce had hired sleeping apartment,
in the cottage of Mr.. Comyn's bellman
or sexton, which stood hard by the kirk
nc spent all his spare time with his friend
at the mansc, where his meals were inva
riably taken; and in addition to the won
dcrful amount of polemical palaver We
have hinted, at a wonderful deal of whis
key.toddy did the worthy minister and
his guest contrive to swallow in the heat
of their arguments. Many time and
oft did good, innocent Miss Henny Comyn
declare, that when the shake hands hour
arrived, Mr.. Bruce, "puir man, seemed
to toddlc of to his cosie beddie at Davy
Bain's marvellousIy fu' O. the spirit p
True it was; but the ancient virgin guess
ed not, in her guilelessness, that the spirit
was on evil one, and elected by man fire
from the msuspecting barleycorn.
at last, as we have SAID, Mr.. Comyn
spoke out his wish-nay, his commands,
that Barbara should prepare to receive
Mr.. Bruce as bridegroom in six months
thereafter; and now Mr.. Bruce himself,
q Il, aud lnr. man nt nthnr fines found