The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1877-11-01
THE DEYELOPMEs
~ n. = MAap

y ~ TNIfI "a ~ -. Pr
BY ". H. wARps
Arthur Alden was the s1 Of a
rich old farmer and being only
child, would, at no distant ~ be:
come possessor Of his father lafge-
landed and moneyed estat The
/ young man was an expert farm
lug, and well educated IN u the
English branches, and With gen;
tleman and Christian, in that
these two words imply. Mars Nal
den was the daughter ofa po but
honest, hard.toiling mechap she
.beipg POSSESSED. of excellcn fnse,
/ fair common school edlca 4rd
besides. lovely in person paii-
ners without q stain Of tipd
! upon her character. ludoed, She
was none the less Christian than
her accepted lover. Now manypeo-
pie wondered why Arthur Alden
should have selected Mary Manen
for his future wife, seeing that he
was virtually rich, and moving,in
the highest circles of fashion, ahd
she poor, and moving in the common
walks of life. Yet, truly, all were
agreed that they were deyotedly It,
tached to each other, and well knew
that they were "engaged," and the
"happy day" named.
Mary had purchased her wedding
attire; all plain, though neat and
tasty, and when returning from the
city some fifteen miles distant, with
her "nuptial garments" and when
within plain view of her home, the
stage horses becoming suddenly
frightened at scme unusual sight,
jumped into ditch near the high
way, at once oyerturning the stage,
severely wounding several, and Ma
ry among the rest. She was taken
up and carried home in a fainting
condition. A physician was imme
diately summoned to restore her to
consciousness, and dress her wounds,
which were bleeding profusely.
1t was soon ascertained that one
arm was literally smashed from
hand to shoulder, and one side Of her
face broken and disfgured in a most
shocking manner An additional
physician sent for, who was soon on
hand, had her arm at once amputa-
ted lat the shoulder, and her face
dressed the best that could be done
under the circumstances. Her suf-
ferings were intense during the first
few days, but in week or two she
was doing as well as could be ex'
pected.
The neighbors said, GLOW much
she is suffering in body and mind,
with the loss of an arm, and herface
to remain badly Scared all her life;
besides all this, her matrimonial
prospects blasted forever, as Arthur
Alden will not think of marrying
her now, with all her deformity!
True, he visits her since the acci-
dent, from time to time, but only as
a friend, as it would not be exactly
proper to leave her at once, but
means to get away as easily as posi-
BILE. Indeed, since the accident he
has never spoken a word to her re-
garding their engagement, at which
poor Mary can not find fault, for
surely Arthur has nothing to say
now on the subject, as he considers
himself, as matter of course, freed
from all obligations to marry her"
While Mary considered that Ar
thur had full and free right to
deem himself freed from the engage
ment, yet she properly thought that
he would, perhaps, be better satisfied
if she should give him written re-
lease. So, the day before the time
set for the wedding to come off (as
agreed upon weeks before the acci-
dent) Mary wrote the following note
and sent it to Arthur by the hand of
u friend, to be delivered to him that
evening without fail:
"HoME, Wednesday P. NJ,
"Ir. arthur Alden:
"DEAR SIR-Well knowing, as l
do, that you have perfect right to
consider yourself released from our
marrige engagement, without note or