The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1879-06-20

have obtained mastery over her more
womanly but weake: minded companion,
and il was an affection more mixed with
foar than love that controlled Miss Hearn's
actions.
1t seems strange that she could love
such an unsexed being as Miss Duer ap-
pears, from what is told OF her, to be, She
would smoke with the sang .froid of
Frenchman, and was even fond of tobacco
in its other forms. Her dresses were
always worn short, and little jacketwth
inside pocket like boys, filled with tobacco
or licoricc, with boys hat, which she
always tipped when acknowledging salute,
composed the most striking articles of her
usual costume. The young girls with
whom she associated tell numerous stories
of her curious idiosyncracics. She never
cared for the society of the sterncr sex,
and would make hot love like Romeo to
her female friends. Sometimes they would
laugh these strange fancies away, at other
times she would trighten them with her
vehemcnce and they woul', run away from
her. She was always a mystery, and 4
young lady who knew her well says that it
was favorite theroy of hers that two wo-
men could be quite as happy and get along
quite as well married as woman and a
man In all out door sports she oxceled
all her lady friends, and could jump, shout
and play base ball as we'll as any young
man in the town. She always carri-d
pistol, and was an expert shot. | have the
following story from a lady who was party
to Tho affair, and which illustrates the pc
culiarity of Miss Duc::'s character:
Miss Hcarn began to be seriously alarmed
when in company with her friend, and OH
one occasion, it is related when she, with
strange vehemence, asked Miss Hcarn if
she did not love her, and went so far as to
actually propose that they should get mar
ried, she fed from the parlor, where they
had been talking, and locked herself in her
room. These little difficulties were gotten
over finally, however, and the intimacy was
renewed, but not SO warmly as before. Miss
Duer was constantly complaining that "her
passionate love was not returned" and sigh.
ing over her "lost hopes of bliss with her
dearest friend when they would be always
together" Thore was young man of the
town who about this time began to pay
marked attention to Miss HGarn, about
which Miss Duer demonstrated with her in
the most passionate manner, telling her that
she would shoot the man that took her friend
from her. a Miss Foster was also friend
whom Miss Hearn was very fond of, and the
two began to be very close friends In the
morning of the 4th of November, Miss Eos
ter and Miss Hearn had taken walk to-
gcthcr and upon her return home she found
a note from Mis- Ducr requesting her to call
at her house, as she wished to sec her ur-
gently. Late in the afternoon she went
with her little sister, and when the two
met, Miss Ducr asked Miss Ucarn to take
walk with her next day in the woods
With the fear of possible repetition Of the
former shooting in her mind, she very dccid.
cdly refused. This appeared to arouse all
the fire of jealousy of Miss Ducr's nature,
and she passionately and upon her knees
begged that her request might be complied
with, but in vain
The next day, at an early hour, Miss
Ducr called at Miss lIearn's house and was
shown into the sitting room where the lat
ter was sitting with her mother. The con-
vcrsation that occurred in the room was of
a general nature, and nothing was said
there of the walk. When Miss Ducr
was about to so Mrs. Hcarn requested her
daughter to accompany her to the door, and
the two girls passed out in the passage. -
After few moments had elapsed shot
was heard and Mis- Hcarn rushed back in
the room with the blood streaming from n
pistol shot in the mouth. She was immc.
diately placed under medical treatment
when it was discovered that the ball had
entered the mouth and lodged about an inch
deep near the upper jaw Miss Duer had
followcd her in with smoking pistol in
her hand, but did not remain long. a
young man named Clark was near the house
and heard the shot, and when he appeared
Miss Hcarn was lying upon the sofa in the
sitting room, while Miss Ducr, in frantic
manner, was rushing about, crying wildly,
II have shot her; oh my God, she will die"
Miss Hearn fingered for long time be.
tween life and death, being at times dclrious
and raving. She would hold up her right
arm before her face in her moments of
mental arrangement, calling out nervously.
"Lilly. don't shoot me | will 60 with you
and always love you" The arm had been
bandagcd on account of Il severe burn, sup.
posed to have been caused by the flash of
powder when she was shot. Much has
been said and written about what really oc.
Cured at the time of the shooting.
The following testimony of Mr. IIcarn
before the coroner's inquest throws some
light upon it lie asked his daughter if
4 neI,< l.