The Central Glamorgan Gazette, and General, Commercial, and Agricultural Advertiser. — 1867-09-20 (Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

ROMANCE IN LOW LIFE.  About twelve months ago an old oysterman belonging to Limerick began to pay his addresses to the daughter of a poor labourer living in that city. The suitor was almost decrepid, and singularly unattractive; the maiden was sweet seventeen, and possessed of considerable personal charms. She appears to have had no lack of admirers, as her ancient swain afterwards found out to his intense chagrin; but, as she herself stated," every one told her that the old fellow had money, and that it would be better for her to marry him." And marry him she accordingly did, to the intense amusement of idle Limerick, who assembled to witness the nuptials. The pair had to pass their honeymoon in strict seclusion to avoid the unpleasant attentions of their neighbours, who were never tired of joking the old fellow on his young bride. The illassorted union was not slow in producing mutual unhappiness. The bride discovered to her dismay that old Robin Grey had no money; and Robin, about the same time, found out that his bride's affections were fixed on a possession which was not his. Quarrels and recriminations ensued, and to make matters worse the old fellow became jealous. He was afraid to leave his wife, to whom he was passionately attached, for one moment out of his sight, and neglected his business watching her. The poor old man was perpetually distracted by suspicions of his wife's fidelity. If she left him for an instant he would accuse her of passing her time with the "young fellows," whose rivalry he feared. His health at length broke down under the pressure of mental torture, and he had to seek relief in the workhouse hospital. His illness had reduced him to a state of abject want and misery; and when lie was restored to health he found himself without any meatia of maintaining his wife. Ile borrowed a few shillings to trade upon, and lost part of the money by an accident This misfortune, added to his martial disputes, preyed upon his mind, and he began to talk of committing suicide. His wife further vexed him by continuing to go out in the evenings—a practice of which he strongly disapproved. At length, giving way to his misfortunes, be determined that he would commit suicide, and sharpened a penknife to cut his throat. His wife, thinking he was shamming, or careless of what he might do, took little trouble to dissuade him from his purpose; but lie appears himself to have shrunk from the pixie of death. He said be would not cut his throat, but that he would drown himself, and with an amount of prudence very remarkable in a person about to commit suicide, he took off his coat and hung it up, saying that he did not mean to drown that. He then left the house, and next morning his body was found floating in the Shannon. It appears that he did not mean to destroy himself, but merely to give his youthful spouse a fright, for before dropping into the water from the quay tied his handkerchief to a chain, in order to hold to it as a support until he should be seen and rescued, but the handkerchief being old and rotten, broke the moment the strain came upon it, and the poor old fellow found the release from his sorrows which he hardly expected so soon. To make the story complete, we have also a touch of the supernatural in it. The widow, on the night her husband was drowned, saw "his vision behind a baker's cart ; " and afterwards heard his footsteps in her room.