Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-08-31

route were John Edgar, St. Mary g
parish, and Jean Scott, of the parish of
| Hetherel, both in the adjoining English
county of Cumberland. These two,
tradition hath 1t, instead of coming by
coach-and- -four over the old post route
| from Carlisle. escaped their relatives by
boat across the Solway; we're upset by
! storm and an incoming tide, whose vio-
leIce drowned one of their pursuers and
| caused the others to abandon the chase;
the couple themselves barely escaping
| with their lives; and, bedragsled IN
| brine and sand. finally made their way
on foot from Greenhouses, where they
reached shore on the Scottish side, to
THE SAFE HAVEN OF GRETNA GREEN.
This marriage. as well as thousands
| following, was performed by Joseph
| Paisley who from this date until the
! time of his death, in 1914, a period of
forty-three years, was the mest notori-
GUS, if not noted, man in Scotland, as
well as the most execrated single indi-
vidual known to the annals of English
| social anathema. From all accounts this
Joseph Paisley was an odd character.
He was of unusual height and frame,
and was accorded one of the strongest
men in Scotland. He was a tobacconist
not a blacksmith, as according to gen.
eral literary tradition-and presided over
the destinies of an insignificant lisensed
depot for tea, tobacco aud snuff, where
also smuggled whisky was to be had by
the ''muckle right sort'' who could
be trusted. Gretna Green then,
as now whils the western end of
Springfield village, consisted of not
more than a half dozen houses;
little cluster of buildings about the
olden farmstead of Meg's hill. There
was the residence of Col. Maxwell, an
extensive land owner, the old straw
matched kirk with its little kirk yard 10
which now find headstones in memory
of Paisley and his successors as "bishop
of Grstna' as they were each styled,
the parish manss behind the kirk, q car
penter's shop, cottage or two, and the
vile little shop of Paisley. The man was
80 grossly ignorant that he could scarcely
write his name, but was still possessed of
much canny shrewdness and cunning. He
Is credited with tremendous teats of
strength, and with his two hands he
could straightsn a horseshoe in its cold
state. He was also the possessor of
such stentorian lungs that his helIoa
could be heard further than any post
horn in use between Carlisle and Glas-
gov, while he was rbe most capable |
drinker then known in Scotlaud-no lit |
tie tribute at any time to bibulous Prov
ess. AS his fame and income increased |
he became tremendous mass of fat, |
and, while never known to be drunk, |
consumed two English quarts of brandy |
daily. Tue fact is OF record that
on one occasion he sat down with
q bottle companion on Monday
morning to an anker of Cognac, and
without aid In its drinking, or at any
time being Intoxicated, they kicked the
empty cask out of the door on the sue
oeeding Saturday. The cutlery through
out England over the Edgar-Scott mar
riase, in 1891, simply resulted in turning
the attention of countless other couples
to Grelna, and the insignificant hamlet
instantly became famous. Paisley was
threatened with ali manner of harm,
upon which he set Scotland and England
at defiance, all Of which gave him added
Importance and dignity. He was canny
to secure the highest Scotch legal
advice land Immediately settled the form |