Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1878-08-15
$ Married Once, but Only
n EiffIe3o

al LitfIe.''
Some men are fastidions In se-
lecting wives. Others are not at
all nice in matters matrimonial.-
But breach of promise case in
Arkansas, in general, is too rare and
serious to leave a loophole Tor a
laugh to come in.
Mr.. johnson Topp moved froin
Tennessee across the Mississippi into
Arkansas. He was a man of means
and a bachelor. He was not wholly
avorse to matrimony, but he had a
fear of widows Grass widows es-
pecially were terror to him. He
had moved from East Tennessee to
Middle Tennessee, and that section
to West Tennessee, and finally over
into Arkansas to escape from real
or fancied matrimonial danger
arising from enterprising, perhaps
charming, Tennessee widows.
That being Mr.. johnson Topp's
history, it surprised his friends thai
he should appear as defendant in
the case OF Dublin VS.. Topp; suit
for breach of promise. But the
Circuit Court docket for Critten-
den county DISCLOSED the fact Of tho
suit, and the affidavit of Mrs Mel
india Dublin set forth the particu-
lars,
The plaintiff was put on the stand
to tell how wickedly she had been
led into false hopes by the middle,
aged bachelor.
81 lived at home with my old
dad," she said, "and this feller kept
comm round thar maxim believe
he wanted to trade mules. After
he traded time or two till that
played ont, he come wantin' cotton
seed. l knowed he only wanted an
excuse to get to see me, and ! told
Pop when he come again to. Bring
him in 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 It's, tellin''
him, "this is my darter, Malindy."
lie was powerful shy at the offset
bnt let him git fairly started ON
mules or shoats, and he was dead
sure to end with sparkin'. And it
appeared like he couldn't wait
more'n mint for woman to say
yes. l didn't fool with the man as
lots do, but l said yes; and about
tie next thing that happened he
was tryin' to crawtish. That's about
the whole story
But her lawyer did not think it
was the whole story, and lie was
right-there was more to be told.
"Will you state to the jury how
it happened that the defendant,
Topp; vert back OF his word after
he had asked you to marry him 2"
"Weh, as l said before, he was
the most uneasy man until he got
his answer, which was yes. Tho
fourth day of July, L allowed,
would be soon enough for the wed.
ding day; but he couldn't wait till
then--it was impossible. l told
> him to call Pop in and talk it over.
| went over to the kitchen to git up
squar' meal, and show the man {
could do the talIest cooking in Ar
r kansaw, when ! let myself out for
t it in dead earnest"
T.; "And what happened when your
father and the defendant, Topp,
e talked it over .
''Before | lett 'em l told Pop the
1 man was on the marry, and [ reclS-
}. ined it was all right. Pop allowed
. they'd best have something to take.
i | set on the whiskcy and sugar, and
told them thar was cookin' to do j;
if they preferred mint in theirs they
: krowed jist where to git it. When
!, [ came back l saw things was
. wrong. The first thing the man
! said, and lie lookin' soberin' fu-
neral 'Curnel Dublin, l allowed
your gal, Malindy, was single gal
= till this mint. Is she single, or is
:. she ever been married afore ?''-
: And Pop he told the truth, lookin'
a him plump in the eye. "She's been
). married onct, but--only little
i only little" And | SAID, "That S
4 50 he's talking the Gospel facts
n only little" The man lit out
d then mighty suddent and me and
o Pop thinks if thar's any law in Ar1
: kansaw he orter pay"
1t The defendant urged that he
k didn't want wife who had been
10 married ever SO little. He thought
d he had been deceived. The jury
IS Saw it differently. A little mar
e ried didn't count in Arkansas he
: must pay, and he did pay.