The Vinton record. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1866-1891, 1873-07-03
THE LOVE-LIFE OF A DEACON.
How Wicked Fairies Moved
His Heart To Destroy Sweet
lnnOcence.

WcHltu, InOAo llNcu Iudu WuO,
in the exemplary ways of his
intercourse with friends, neigh
bors, and strangers, in the
broad charity of his heart and
his infexible practice OF the
golden rule, was idolized by
matrons, maids, and men.
To the young, whose inexpe
rienced years drew about them
the worlds vices, and whose
daily walks were ever on the
verge of the qulcksandS OF IN
sidious pleasures, this good
man was a minister whose ad-
vice, culled from an inexhaust.
lble supply OF ancient proverbs,
and pointed admonitions of
Holy Writ, always served 10
sustain the v cary in we'll doing
aud restrain the reckless in
their evil deeds. In his com.
munity he was an elaborate
figure-head among a hundred
excellent men. His virtues
were his greatest joy.
That such a man should es-
cape the love OF the fairest of
the women would be impossi
BILE; yet seemingly his heart
and mind we're wrapped in the
brightest tissues of moral at
tributes, and it was not until
the sweet simplicity of the
pretty maids budding inno-
cence drew him into an lntoxi-
eating sentiment OF selfish
love. She was an orphan, and
lett alone to battle with life.
But her friends were many,
and when the good man of the
community evinced an inter
est in her welfare, which soon
became the gossip of the town,
garrulous housewives fed for a
month or more on the brilliant
prospects that suddenly opened
up TOR the beautiful orphan
girl.
There were envious women, il
is true, who, failing to blind
the good deacon with their
own attractions, foretold of
unhappy days for both, but
aside from these everybody
had something of pleasurable
interest in the love-life OF the
maid and deacon. Time pass
ed, the courtship, some said,
should come to an end, and the
wedding be celebrated with
sounds of merry rejoicing and
chimes of the village BELLS
The deacon appeared 10 be in
no hurry, until one night, about
two weeks ago, he slipped the
town and came to Cincinnati.
This proceeding in connec-
ton with his love life was the
only feature in which he
evinced a hurried interest. His
neighbors missed him, and so
HE beautiful Alliance, but while
the former were willing TO con-
sole their disappointment in so
great goodness by slanderous
stories, the latter, who bore
the brunt of the deacon's de-
moralized retreat, followed in
his footsteps with fixed deter
mination of preventing a more
disastrous rout of her own
good position in life. She came
10 Cincinnati also, and discov-
ering the hiding place of her
lover, who was once the orna-
ment of his people, had a war
rant for his arrest issued. A
deputy sheriff on Ziegler's
staff found the deacon, and |
threatened him with Jail and
bread and water if ha would |
not at once consent to marry |
the woman whose love could |
atone tor all deceit.
The deacon, however, was
obdurate. He used some very |
vigorous English in announc-
ing his refusal, but when the
unmanageable deputy ordered
him to move on to the jail he
submitted. This was late at
night, but the business
being of an irresistible
pressure, it had to be dispatch
ed without further delay. A
messenger brought out The
marriage license clerk, who
furnished the necessary papers.
Elder Stratton was then called
upon, who pronounced the
benediction to the marriage |
vows of John Frank Higgins,
the good but sore oppressed dea
con, end Maria Alloway, the
beautiful maid, happy in her
victory over an obdurate man.
The next night Higginson
was wanted by his wife, but he
came not He had again ex
hibIted a lively interest In his