The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1878-08-14
Married Once, but Only "a LIrtre.-

Some men are fastidious in selecting
wives, others are not at all nice in mai
ters matrimonial. But a breach of prom
Ise case III Arkansas, in general, IS 10,
rare and serious to leave "a loophole for 3
laugh TO come in.
Mr. johnson Topp moved from Ten
nessee across the Mississippi into Arkan-
sas. lie was man of means and a
bachelor. lie was not wholly averse to
matrlmony, but he had fear of widows.
| Grass widows especially were a terror 10
him. lie had moved from East Tennes
see to Middle Tennessee, from that sec
ton to West Tennessee, and finally over
into Arkansas to escape from real or fan
cied matrimonial danger arising from en-.
terprlslng, perhaps charming, Tennessee
widows.
That being Mr.. johnson Tops histo.
ry, it surprised his friends that he should
appear rs defendant in the case of Dub
lin versus Topp; suit for breach of prom
Use. But the Circuit Court docket for
Crittenden country disclosed the fact of
the suit, and the affidavit of Mrs. Melin
da Dublin set forth the particulars.
The plaintiff was put on the stand to
tell how wichedly she had been led into
false hopes by the middleaged bachelor
said, land this Teller kept comm round
thar maxim believe he wanted to trade
mules. After he traded time or two
till that was played out, he come wautin'
cotton seed i knowed he only wanted
an excuse to git to see me, and / told
Pop when he come again to bring him
and see whether he'd talk turkey or not
if he had fair chance. And that was
just what he wanted. You never see
man set up to a woman pearter than he
did as soon as ever Pop introduced Us,
tellin' him, This is my darter, Malin
dy.' He was powerful shy at the offset;
but let him git fairly started on mules or
shoates, and he was dead sure 10 end
with sparkin'. And it appeared like he
couldn't wait more mint for "a wo.
man to say yes. | didn't fool with the
man as lots do, but | said yes; and about
the next thing that happened he was
tryin' to crawfish. That's about the
whole story"
But her lawyer did not think it was
the whole story, and he was right-there
was more to be told
"Will you state to the jury how it hap
pened that the defendant, Topp, went
back on his word after he had asked you
to marry hiIl?'
"Well, as | said before, he was the
most uneasy man until he got his answer,
which was yes. The fourth day of July,
allowed, would be soon enough for the
wedding day, but he couldn't wait till
then-it was impossible. told him
to call Pop in and talk it over. went
over to the kitchen to git up a squar'
meal, and show the man | could do the
tallest cooking in Arkansaw, when ! let
myself out for it in dead earnest"
"And what happened when your
father, and the defendant, Topp, talked
over?"
Before left 'em | told Pop the man
was on the marry, and | reckined it was
all right. Pop allowed the'd best have
something to take. | set on the whis-
| ky and sugar, and told them thar was
cookin' to do; if they preferred mint in
theirs they knowed jist where to git it,
When | came back | saw things was
wrong. The first thing the man said,
and lookin' sorberin' funeral: 'Curnel
Dublin, | allowed your gal, Malindy,
was a single gal till this mint. Is she
single, or is she ever been married
afore?' And Pop ne told the truth,
lookin' him plump in the eye: She's
been married Onct, but-only little
only a little And | sand That's so;
he's talkin' the Gospel facts--only lit
tie The man lit out then mighty sud
dent and me and Pop thinks if thar's
any law in Arkansaw he orter pay"
The defendent urged that he didn't
want a wife who had been married ever
so little. He thought he had been de
ceived. The jury saw it differently. A
little married didn't count in Arkansas
He must pay; and he did pay