Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-01-03
A DOMESTIC ROMANCE.

IVidosver of seventy-five Falls In love
with Woman OF Twenty-four-A Now
Way to Stop Wedding.
Springfield (Illinois) Correspondence st. Louis
Republican.
In the ad Joining township resides Alexis
P, well-to-do farmer He is u widower
of twelve years standing, and has attained
the patriarchal age of three score and ff-
teen years. His family consists of an only
son, Frank, not quite of age, and three
daug ghters, Of the ages respectively of twen-
ty-four, twenty-seven, and thirtytwo.-
Though in intellectual dotage, Mr.. p is
physically, for one of his years, very pro-
per man hale, erect, and vigorous. His
large possessions have aroused the cupidity
of not few advanced widows Indeed, he
is regarded as q decided "catch," and
strenuous efforts have been made to ensnare
his affections. But the aged gentleman,
though sympathetic enough, is after tender
deer. Having Il Equorish tooth, or rather
no tooth at all, his preferences tend to the
more youthful of his admirers.
Miss Fanny B. 1--WE suppress names for
the sake of relations) is the daughter of
poor, but respectable farmers, neighbors of
the P's. She is q genteel girl Of unsophis-
ticated manners, but limited education.-
She had been taught to idolize the wealthy
man. The playfellow of Ps daughters, she
has grown up with them, and is of the same
age with the youngest, to wit, twenty-four
years old. Strange to say Tor is it strangely
old Mr. p. has fallen desperately in love
with Fanny. His suit has been favored by
her folks, actual marriage contracted, and
nothing remained but the solemnization.
Our informant, Rev Mr.. O--e, of the
Episcopal Church, had been summoned to
celebrate the nuptial ceremonies. Although
hostile to the marriage, the daughters of
the gay Alexis had made no opposing de-
monstration. On the day previous to the
ceremony, the son Frank exhibited deci-
dedly belligerent spirit. And here comes
in the romance.
Frank declared, amid whole cataract of
| profane embellishments, that his father
should not bring such young, mother in
| to the house. He swore the old man
should not marry the girl Despite license,
priest, and inclination there should be an
end to it, there should be no marriage
| How would he prevent it ? He would show
them about noon of the day preceding
the one appointed for the wedding. An
undertaken from Springfield brought a cof-
fin to the house of Mr.. 2. Frank took
charge of it, and deposited it with suita-
BILE gravity in the principal room. Frank
then caused the family meat-axe, ghastly,
| horrible cleaver, to be ground and shar-
pened. Then he announced his design
He swore (for Frank is fast and spoiled
YOUTH there shoull be a funeral, but no
Wedding Reversing the order of things,
he declared the wedding baked meats
should coldly furnishI forth funeral that
Fanny, instead of bride, should be
corpse that his father might have a funer-
al, but no wedding; that, standing there
at the threshold of his paternal mansion,
| when she came to celebrate the nuptials,
he would with that same sharpened meat
axe cleave her from crown to sole; that
| the coffin prepared was for her decent bur-
ial and finally, that he was ready himself
for the murderers gibbet. Matters as
considered q joke, began to wear solemn
phase. Protestations, entreaties and threats
we're unavailing Frank was immovable.
| The intended brides friends were troubled
| and amazed she herself almost frightened
| to death.
In this extremity the clergyman was
sought before his time and consulted. Sur
veying all the situation he finally gave the
opinion that the disparity of years present
ed an almost insuperable obstacle, and that
under the circumstances, it would be wise
and expedient and eminently judicial to
| have neither wedding nor funeral He
|
rangements. The match was broken off, the
coffin removed empty to the family vault,
the meat-axe buried--or rather put by for
the ensuing hog-killing season-the liquor
ish old groom sent drunk to bed and Frank
stood entirely victorious.
No doubt some of you, readers, like many
of the neighbors, shrewdly imagine that
Frank would marry Fanny. Not a bit of it.
He wouldn't have her and, not the least
romantic part of the story, Fanny wouldn't
have him. She has just been married to
plain youth of the township, who like
Young Norval in the play, tends his fathers
focks and is kept industriously at home.
The foregoing, though almost incredi-
BILE, is strictly true. Our informant, the
family clergyman, is an aged man of most
veracious habits and excellent character
We give the story almost in his very words.
Truly, truth Is sometimes strange-stran-
ger than fiction.