The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-12-27
TOO MUCH LOVE.
Curious story from Maryland-Thc ne.
gN suit Of Reading Byron ~
naiicommeteial.

A Curious story from Maryland-Thc Re
M suit Of Reading Byron. ~
ClheinnSii comhsftial. J StAH IN
A very curious story comes from
Pocomoke,, City, Maryland, showing
what reading Byron may lead to-
Miss Lily Duer was young lady
OF IS, and belle OF Pocomoke
City. She had only lately graduated
with honors," which may mean much OF
little, according to circumstances. Young
ladies from 10 to 20 generally affect one
style or another, according to tho novels
they have read most. Miss Lily Duer
adopted the strong.minded, slam.bang
role. She chopped her hair off short and
parted it boy.iashion. Being pretty
girl, with large dark eyes, this was rather
becoming. She studied medicine, and
hated men. Whether she studied nledi-
cine because she hated men, or hated men
because she studied medicine, isInotjQuitc
clear. She took 3longswalks.in the woods.
Perhaps to keep OF sthe abominable
ulhhCuuub- bt&t hlIe Atlli hltu tilu Eiloti5aut
little habit of carrying a small loaded pistol
with her. Moreover, this popgun had a
cheerful way Of sometimes going of &c.
cidental.like. At least that was what she
claimed.
Miss Lily was overwhelmingly intellect
ual. She used to sit up every night read
ing books. She was passionately fond Of
reading, her mother testified. The sequel
shows that she was a passionate sort OF
female anyhow. Her iavorite author was
Byron, "whose nature Is similar to my
own" she said. She was honest 10 own
to it, at any rate.
She foreswore matrimony. Most girls
do. But It was unfortunate In Miss Lily
Duers case. II she had bad a nice young
man 10 waste her affections and her pow
der on, Miss Ella Hearn might have been
alive to-day Owing to tho fact that she
hated men, Lily conceived an ardent fancy
for Ella All history testities that the
human heart must have something to lean
upon, as it were. When women won't
they fall in love with each other. At
length. after Lily had studied medicine,
sat up nights reading Byron, and taken
lonely walks with her loaded little pistol
by her side, for9a sufficient period, she
was in that frame OF mind to do. anything
romantic. g.It Is said that she puton--in
short, that she donned suit OF masculine
clothes, and cavorted about the country at
times in trousers Her strongmindedness
seems to have developed.
Her love for Miss Hearn assumed the
violent phase, so violent that at last 1t
annoyed Ella seriously. Lily was as per-
sistent in her attentions as the Widow
Butler Is in wooing the people OF Massa-
chusetts Miss Ilearn seems to have been
q natural.minded young woman who did
not take kindly to this sort OF nonsense.
Lily used to visit her every day with,Queer
and extravagatit demonstrations OF aztec
ton, although she told her again and
again to 90 home, and never come back.
Unrequited love is apt to become q nuis-
ance, In male or female In October the
two young ladies took walk together in
the woods. They gathered tea.berries.
After while they started homo, the She
lover, with her little pistol, walking in the
rear.
"stopw she cried, suddenly, to Ella.
Miss Hearn did not heed, but walked
on. Suddenly she heard report, and
then another and another, which caused
her to stop very quickly and look behind
her. Lily had deliberately fred at her
three times, narrowly missing heEr Ella
ran9to her and knocked the pistol out OF
her hand. 81 .riga.L.al7gI
II only intended to brighten you and
make you stop" said Lily.
After that Ella never walked in the
woods with her any more. Miss Hearn
had another young lady friend, Miss
Foster, and this fact seems 10 have aroused
the ungovernable jealousy ofIthe female
lover, Who would brook no rival From
sitting up nights reading, Byron she, had
learned what was the proper thing to do.
November she sent q note TO Ella, ask
ing her to call at her (Lily's) house, ION
important business" Ella called, and the
weighty concern was pressing request to
take walk in the woods with Lily. Ella
declined. Next; day, November 8, the
Byronic girl marched into Miss Hearne's
house with her tiny popgun. Sheinsisted
that Ella should walk with her in the
woods, declaring before Almighty God that
| II she didn't 90 this time, she lily would
never ask her TO do anything else as long
as she lived. Ella still refused.
"Say that you love INT" exclaimed the
tragic'female.T .saythat you love me bet
ter than anybody else.Y
Miss Hearn wouldE not say it. Lily
turned to go away, in great excitement,
but came back, threw her arms around
Ella, and tried to kiss her. Ella pushed
her of, and she slipped and fell, but arose
again Immediately.
"Do you love me?" she asked.
"So," said Ella.
Then Lily stepped back pace or two,
pointed her pistol at Elias eyes, and fred
The wounded girl fingered month, in.a
state OF painful suffering, and then died
The Coroner's jury rendered q verdict tina
she had died from nervous depression,
with bullet in her brain. That fact o
itself was atolerably depressing circpm
staucc.
Ella at first declined to say whether o.
not the shooting was intentional. lie
father asked her several times, but shl
would not answer Ono day he, put TIL
same question, when she turned. over ant
began TO weep bitterly. SAlicw days after
wards she told her father she believed sh,
was going to die, and she wished the trutl
| 10 be known. The shooting, she said, va
not accidental, but intentional. She theI
narrated the strange story rs above.
A New York Herald reporter called Oh
Miss Duers5 To the question whether tn
shooting was accidental she answered Ii
q toploftical manner:tBH .Ss "
d, am nota murleresS, sir. Do ] lool
like oneH' iiiShn tloi Nv "
Her appearance was as tragic as nigh
have been expected in young lady who's
nature was similar to Byron's. She had
nnsa nnd meln nchnlv. y md said "sirn WhcI