Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-12-27
From the Public Spirit
Tue MAN WHO MARRIED A MAN.


TUE MAN WHO MARRIED A MAN.
L have cultivated acquaintance, in the
course of life which has in it much itine-
racy, with many country hotels. What my
ltlneratlng guise has been does not matter,
perhaps but the curious reader is welcome
to guess, ii that Yankee faculty be among
his mental havings. I may have been a
pedler of tinware. I may have been O.
Methodist circuit rider. I may have been O.
detective policeman. I may have been q
lecturer on the science of phrenology, with
illustrative charts. l may have been bill
collector. L may have been a vagabond
without any rim to my hat. I may have
been gentleman OF wealth and leisure. I
may have been wandering Jew with
boz OF cheap lewelry. [ may have been a
clown to travelling circus. Guessing is a
beautiful exercise. [ have been none of
these
One night III mid-winter I entered the
house Of mine host Barrows, with my hair
frozen stiff about my ears, and moustache
an iciclo in color and feel. 1t was bitter
cold out OF doors, but there was q bright
fro burning in broad old-fashioned fire
place, and around it sat group of sleepy
looking men, toasting their shins before the
ruddy blaze.
The reader, for whose superior powers of
mind have a profound respect, is also at
liberty to guess where Barrow's hotel is or
was: but as it is Of no kind of importance,
perhaps it may be as we'll not to dwell
on the subject. It is an old stone building
not 50 ancient, perhaps, the Maypole
Inn that Barnaby Rudge was wont to visit,
and not destined to the fate of that we'll
Ennt l1T1t TIr,fn 70 hockoIrx l.
boasts no grove of lemons But Barrows
himself WAS there on this night of mine, and
his face looked sour enough to have just
swallowed lemon grove without sugar. It
was good natured face, too, in the ordin-
ary, but tonight the lees of Barrows' old
heart had been subjected to stirring.
[ made my way up to the cheerful place
and shook myself like water-dog, to the
manifest discontinue of the group of sleepy
toasters, who shivered and hugged them
selves at sight of me, fresh from the cold
and dreary night
"Coolish out, Mr. Weeb," said Bar
rows, coming forward to take my overcoat
and wrappers. Amt had such a stinger
afore this year-plays the dickens with my
party"
"A party tonight, Barrows % said I.
Yes, was to have been, but the dancers
didn't come. Sleighings's thin, ye know,
and they wouldn't come in wagons on sich
night. I'm out of pocket pretty figure
by it
Aud the lemon grove stood confessed.
"Nobody come, eh?" said |, as 1 part ed
fire.
"Oh, yes" said Barrows, contemptu.
ously pointing to the shin-toasters, " and
every man of 'em without woman. And
what's a ball without women?'
All, sure enough?" " said I philosophi-
cally 'whats anything without woman
Women are our solace in misfortune, our
JOY in prosperity-in short, the charm OF
this unhappy vale OF tears, Barrows, and
no dancing party can be said to be com
plete without them-except among the
Indians. If [ ever marry [ shall marry a
woman"
"Haw, haw, haw!' road the Lancashire
hostler, who sat in the corner, and who
thus testified the delight of an apprecia-
tive mind at my brilliant wit. "Woy,
you'd have to marry Wummun If you mar
ried at all.
81 knew man once" said a queer
looking customer, who sat smoking very
long pipe, solemnly, "who married a
man,
Lie IObSGeIS SLdItct.
TELL us about that, said tho Lanca-
shire man. "We'm been tellin' stories
afore you come in, and it was my turn next.
But you'n tell better nor l, make no
doubt
"PIl tell you the story IN three words, -
said the man of the pipe. But first [
mean to hear your story, Donny so go
ahead. And let it be about woman"
The Lancashire man was coy, but being
urged, finally proceeded
"You see, this story that I've got in my
head is as true as the Book, sir. 1t 'appen-
cd in oul town when [ was O young man
O. twenty, and it were the talk O the town
for weeks about. I knowed the docther
myself
1.-THE docther coorted 81 widov in our
town, her name were Robinson, and she
were a Jolly wonch, if say it to you. She
were tho last wummun for such as the doc
ther, and [ told him them very words my
self what time ! was sick with fayver, and
he docthered ne. But ho minded not me,
of course not he. He were mp to his ears
in love with her.
'She's a gradely wench, docther, l
told him 'but look O the string O. lovers
she's had since Robinson died! Twenty II
there one, an you know it.
"sPoh!' said the docther, I'll take care
O. her lovers for her. How'd yer tongue,
Donny.'
''Nobbut yell wish ye'd minded my
words, docther, some day, says l.
'''The day they went to church half the
town was there to see the weddin'. was
there mysel'. The widow was lookin'
gradely fine in her bran new gown what
the docther baught wi his own money, and
the docther he looked like boy wi new
shillin'. When they'd gettin' to the word
when the owd parson asks if any man
knowed aught agin' the marryin', up steps
Johnny Leech, young chap from Man.
chester an forbids the bans, an says tn
widow had promised to tackle with him;
"Any one could see that the docther
was awfully pottert about it, and mad
enough to bite pike in two, nobbut he
Just spake to the young man Silly like, and
said
"'What's that dost say, young man
"'I say said Johnny Leach, as bold as
lion, that she's promised to me, an L
wull have her.
cat that the docther begun to fix his
mouth for swearin', nobbut he thought
better of it, in church SO, and just said
"sOd sink it, man, you're one o hun
dred in the same fix. To the dule WI yer
talk I've got the wummun, an You re