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NEWS & PLANTERS’ GAZETTE.
D. DOTTING, Edit fir .
No. 52.—NEW SERIES.]
W* * PLANTERS GAZETTE.
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Sales of Land and Negroes by Executors, Ad
ministrators, and Guardians, are required by law,
to be advertised, in a public Gazette, sixty days
previous to the day of sale.
The sales of Personal Property must bo adver
tised in like manner, forty days.
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must be published forty days.
Notice that application will be made to the
Court of Ordinary, for leave to sell Land or Ne
groes, must be published weekly for four months;
notice that application will be madefor Letters of
-Administration, must be published thirty days;
and Letters of Dismission, six months.
AGENTS.
THE FOLLOWING GENTLEMEN WILL FORWARD THE
NAMES OF ANY WHO MAY WISH TO SUKSCF.IEE :
J. T. 4- G. 11. Wooten,\ A. D. Slatham,Vnuburg,
iMaliorysvilie, B. F. Tatom, Lincoln-
Felix (f. Edwards, Pc- ton,
tersburg,-Elbert, O. A. Luckelt, Crawford-
Gen. Grier,- Raytown, ville,
Taliaferro, W. Davenport, Lexing-
James’ Bdl, Powelton, ton,
Hancock, * .S’. J. Bush, Irwington,
XVm. B. Nelms, Eiber-| Wilkinson,
ton, - \Dr. Cain, Cambridge,
John A. Simmons, Go-1 Abbeville District,
shen, Lincoln, I South Carolina.
Mail Arrang emest&.
POST OFFICE, )
Washington, Ga., January, 1841. \
AUGUSTA MAIL.
. ARRIVES.
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, at 5, A. M.
CLOSES.
Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, at 2‘, P. M.
MILLEDGEVILLE MAIL.
ARRIVES.
Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday, at 8, A. M.
CLOSES.
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, at 11, A. M.
CAROLINA MAIL.
ARRIVES.
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, at 11, A. M.
CLOSES.
Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday, at 8, A. M.
ATHENS MAIL.
ARRIVES.
Sunday and Wednesday, at 9, A. M.
CLOSES.
Sunday and Wednesday, at 9, A. M.
ELBERTON MAIL.
ARRIVES. CLOSES. *
Thursday, at 8, P. M. | Thursday, at 8, I. M.
LINCOLNTON MAIL.
ARRIVES. CLOSES.
Friday, at 12, M. | Friday, at 12, M.
COTTING~&- BUTLER,
ATTORN IES,
HAVE taken an OFFICE over Cozart &
Woods Store.
March 11,1841. 28
.f Sempstress W*anted.
4 LIBERAL price will be given for a
iV SEMPSTRESS of good qualifies. Apply
I, at this Office. August 18, 1841. Ht
For Sale •
The Subscriber offers for sale, the
premises on the Northeastern corner
.[ i • * of the Square, at present occupied by
Mr- R. il- Vickers, as a Tavern.—
From 0.8 convenient locality, it is well suited for
either a Tavern, private Boarding-house, or a
private Residence. Any one disposed to pur
chase, can do so upon reasonable terms.
JAMES N. WINGFIELD.
July 8,1841. 45
For Sale •
n-_A The Subscriber offers for sale his
place, within one mile of Raytown,
liigiiSf 11 Taliaferro county, situated on
toT~vup™S. Beaverdam Creek, adjoining James
Brooas, Esq. and Messrs. Luckett’s. The im
provements are good, with a Gin and Gin House.
There are about Three Hundred and Sixty A
cres in the Tract, and about 175 Acres of which
are woodland. The place is very healthy, and
there is a good Spring of Water near the Dwel
ling-House.
Also. —A Tract of Land in said county, situa
ted between Raytown and Washington, on Har
den’s Creek, containing One Hundred Acres,
n Aining Mr. Joseph Campbell and Mrs. Ran
dolph. About 60 Acres of this Tract is Wood
land —with Sbma improvements thereon.
Any person wishing to purchase the above
property can have them on reasonable terms.
Apply to TERRENCE ROARK.
Raytown, August 18,1841. ts 51
JYotice •
ALL persons indebted to the Estate of MARK
ANTHONY, late of Lincoln county, dec’d,
are requested to come forward and make pay
lent, and those having demands, are requested
rto present theipAn the time prescribed by law,
for payment. ; T
, MARK . ANTHONY, Adm'r.
ELIZABETH ANTHONY, Adm’x.
July 1841 fit 48
MISCELLANEOUS.
CONFESSIONS OF A COWARD.
How many cowards, whoso hearts are all as fake
As stars of sand, wear yet upon their chins
The beard of Hercules, and frowning Mars;
Who inward searched, have livers white as milk !
SIIAKSFEARE.
It is not often that a man will suffer him
self to be tamely posted as a coward, even
in the circumscribed sphere of an obscure
watering-place ; and 1 cannot but antici
pate some share of contempt while I go a
step beyond that degredation, and acknowl
edge myself thus, before the whole world
of fashion, “ a coward—a most scandalous
coward.” It is, however, with the hope of
changing that contempt into something of a
more respectful fecling-r-it is in the sincere
expectation of exciting some degree of sym
pathy, that 1 have brought myself to make
the avowal.
I was born the heir of a most respectable
and wealthy family, and entered life under
auspices of the most favorable description :
but before 1 had well quitted my nursery,
an event occurred which has marred every
flattering prospect, which entered like a
canker into my very soul, aud has tinged
every successive stage of my life with mis
ery and contempt.
I was about four years of age when my
paternal grandmother died : she had been
excessively fond of me, and would scarcely
suffer me to be a moment from her side. 1
need not describe the feelings which this af
fection awakened within me. I returned
her love with the fervor and artlessness of
childhood, and I still cling to her memory
with a fondness which, amidst the contume
ly I have been fated to endure, has survi
ved nearly all the kindly feelings of the
heart, and which in its purity and innocence
imparts to my solitary, mom nts the most
pleasurable sensations I enjoy. She is be
fore me now in the dignity of seventy win
ters ; her tali figure scarcely more bent
than in use ; her cheek still flushed with
the hue of health, her mild blue eyes bea
ming kindly on me ; and her perfectly
white hair turned above a forehead, fair a
midst her wrinkles. It was my delight to
- sit at her feet whilst she was employed in
the homely occupation of knitting ; and to
listen to her stories of our ancestors, or of
her own adventures with the rebels in “ the
45,” when they occupied, fora time, her
father’s house in the north. I remember
particularly the description of the horror she
felt, a short time afterwards, on entering
Carlisle, in recognizing over the city gate
the heads of several of these guests. This
kind friend and eornpanion of my infancy
died suddenly, and her fate was kept secret
from me : my inquiries were met with the
assurance that my grandmamma would
speedily return, and with this assurance
they contrived to pacify me. One day how
ever, w hile the servant was absent, I hap
pened to want a toy which I recollected 1
had left in my grandmother’s room; and
proceeded thither unobserved, to fetch if.
On entering the department I w’as surprised
by the sight of what appeared to me a hand
some chest, and with tite curiosity natural
to a child, I climbed on the bedstead to ex
amine it. 1 lifted the covering, and gazed
for a moment in mute astonishment at the
unexpected appearance and situation of my
beloved relative. At first I endeavored to
awaken her by calling on her name : vexed
at her continued silence, I impatiently sei
zed her hand ; its icy coldness went to my
heart, and the heavy manner in which it
dropped down from my releasing grasp in
creased my astonishment. Atlength 1 lift
ed the eyelids, and the cold fixed gaze
which fell upon me completed my terror,
which forced from me a scream which sum
moned the attendants, who bore me away,
and explained to me the work ofdeath.
From this moment the cause which had
wrought this dreadful change became the
ruling sentiment of my mind. I listened
attentively toevory narrativeofthe progress
of sickness and death, and the most fatal
diseases became objects of terrible anticipa
tion to me. I frequently woke in the mid
dle of the night—the silence and the dark
ness were associated in my mind with death
and the grave, and l shrieked in agony lest
I should die before the morning.
My imagination, thus fearfully’ excited,
outstripped my years ; and I was sent to a
public school, in the hope that the bustle,
the emulation, and the amusements of such
a sqene would produce a favorable effect on
my mind; but the shaft had struck too deep
ly—the impression was never to be effaced.
I never joined in the sports of niv compan
ions, for we could not play without quar
relling ; fighting was the natural conse
quence of these contests ; but Iliad heard
too much of the fatal consequences of an
unlucky blow to venture a battle with even
the smallest boy in the school : I was con
sequently sprrounded by a host of tyrants ‘;
and happy was the day on which a share
of the little luxuries 1 was enabled to pur
chase procured for me an exemption from
unmerited blows. My time was spent in
solitary misery in a retired corner of the
play-ground, where I sat continually broo
ding over the horrors of deatli; and I now
wonder that my senses did not yield to the
terrible creations of my fancy. Sometimes
I scarcely slept for weeks, for fear I should
fall into a trance, and be buried while a
live ; at other times, I imagined that this
catastrophe had already taken place, and
that the passing scene was but a dream
from which I should awake to die amidst
the stifling soh'tudevof mv tomb ; frequent-
WASHINGTON, (WILKES COUNTY, G A.,) AUGUST 20, IS SI.
ly was I so oppressed with the reality of
these fears, that I have poured out my soul
in agony to Grid, and prayed that 1 might
never be conscious of the awfulness of my
doom.
In these dreadful fancies and such as
these were passed my hours of leisure, and
I protest that the recollection of them is
terrible to mo even now. However, I pass
ed through the several forms of the school
with t lie greatest credit, and was sent to Ox
ford.
Thither my character followed me, and
1 became the butt and scapegoat of the
whole university ; iny name was given to
the proctor by every jaeknapes who was
detected in any irregularity ; if a man had
a noisy party in his rooms, and was desi
rous of escaping the consequences, mine
was the oak which was battered till they
obtained entrance, and mine the port that
was swallowed till the morning brought a
bead-ache and an indisposition. At length
my name became associated with so many
breaches of discipline, that my father was
advised to remove me, in order to prevent
the adoption of harsher measures ; but, so
far from being dissatisfied with my con
duct, the old gentleman applauded my spi
rit, and rejoiced to see me changed from
the pusillanimous character which I for
merly bore. So completely were his views
with respect to me altered, that he decided
1 should enter my uncle’s regiment of
horse! My father’s commands I never
dared to dispute, but this sounded like a
sentence of death to me, and appeared to
tally impossible to be carried into effect.—
A regiment of horse ! Why 1 had never
mounted the little quiet poney which carri
ed me round the park without fears for the
safety of my neck, ami I had never ventur
ed beyond a walk even upon him. Fortu
nately, however, as I then considered it,
there was no vacancy in the regiment at
the moment; and it was just then ordered
to the Peninsula. My reprieve was ex
tremely short; a letter speedily arrived
from my uncle, stating that the junior Cor
net had been drowned in the passage, and
that he had reserved the appointment for
me ; my commission arrived from the War
offica in a few days afterwards, with direc
tions that I should join the regiment imme
diately. My father hurried my prepara
tions, and 1 did my best to keep up my spir
its ; but do what I would, a tit of sickness
procured me a month’s delay. At length l
embarked ; but the sensations with which 1
entered the boat, was dragged up the side
of the vessel, and saw the shores lessening
to my view, and the waves beating around
me, with the fate of my predecessor ever in
my recollection, I will not attempt to des
cribe. In those sensations the separation
from my friends had no share ; in my fears
for myself all kindly affections were over
whelmed. Dreadful sea sickness, which I
suffered in common with my fellow-passen
gers, disguised all other feelings, and I
landed without having attracted the partic
ular attention of my companions.
My uncle had just left the General when
I reached the camp, and congratulated me
on my good fortune, in having arrived at a
moment when they were on the point of at
tacking the enemy, an event which would
take place on the following morning. lie
then made a thousand inquiries respecting
his friends in England ; but imagining from
the incoherency of my answers that I was
greatly fatigued, he recommended me to
seek refreshment in sleep. Sleep, and e
ternity at hand ‘ I threw myself on the
earth, and endeavored to persuade myself
that this was one of my dreadful dreams;
but the regular tramp of the centinel, and
the canvas canopy above me, too plainly
assured me of the terrible reality. At one
time I had determined on feigning sickness;
but even then danger would be as present
as in the battle ; other plans I endeavored
to arrange for avoiding the fatal field; but
seeing no way of escaping, I resolved to
fortify myself with laudanum, as the only
resource against the discovery of my fears.
After a few hours of agonizing suspense,
an old servant of my uncle’s entered my
tent to assist me in accoutring myself. I
had read much, and with feelings of strong
commiseration, of the conduct of criminals
on the morning of execution, during the par
ticipation of the sacrament—the interviews
with friends, ministers, and sheriffs—pin
ioning the arms, knocking off the irons, ar
ranging the procession, and other similar
modes of increasing the suspense of the aw
ful hour. Feelings similar to those which
I had imagined must prevail on such occa
sions did I experience, while the veteran
was fluently expatiating on the probable e
vents of the day ; and when he mentioned
the certainty of our division having to sus
tain the brunt of the fight, my trembling
would have betrayed me had the possibility
of the existence of such a sensation as fear
entered the mind of the soldier. He mis
took it for the agitation of impatient valor,
and begged me not be too eager, as cool
ness was every thing on these occasions.—
Heaven knows I was cool enough—so cool,
that my heart seemed frozen within me.
At length the laudanum began to take ef
fect; and I have only a confused recollec
tion of receiving the encouraging congrat
ulations of my uncle, mounting my high
mettled charger, joining my troop, the com
mencement of the battle, and the astound
ing effect of the first volley of musketry !
close by me. I recollect, like a dream, the |
furious onset with which we charged ; and
the first occurrence at all clear in my me
mory, is finding myself left behind my
comrades, and alone on the side of a hill
facing a dragoon covered with blood, riding
at fit!! speed towards me : tjot
PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY MORNING
MandragoA
Nor all the drowsy syrups in the world,
could sustain me at such $ sight as this, j
Without a moment’s consideration I turned
my horse, spurred him into a full gallop,
quitted my bridle, and held fast by the pum
mel of my saddle. On I went towards our
lines, fully assured, from the clatter of his
accoutrements, of being pursued by the
bloody dragoon : wo came to the rear, but
still he pursued ; and it was quite evident
to me that ho was determined to have my
life, though his own should pay for it. At
length, in a close dell, whither my horse
had carried me at his will, he stumbled and
foil, and my enemy coming ertose after me,
fell over us; the two stefeds were speedily
on their feet, and galloped off, and I was
now sure my hour was come. Without
daring to look up I implored quarter most
lustily, and augured dreadful things from
the silence with which rny entreaties were
received. At last 1 ventured to look up,
and hope revived when 1 saw the dragoon
extended at his length beside me. Gradu
ally I gathered courage, or to speak more
correctly, I began to be somewhat less fear
ful, and, taking a full survey of this hardy
enemy, I discovered that it was my uncle’s
old servant, whom I have already mention
ed, dead, as lie no doubt had been during
the whole time of my flight, with a pistol
shot through his breast.
This experiment of a soldier’s life was
quite enough for me ; the victory being on
our side, 1 feigned sickness, and was sent
to the rear: then 1 received intelligence of
the sudden death of my father, threw up
my commission, and returned to England.
The winter after I took possession of my
estate, I went to Bath with my mother,who
introduced me to Julia Faulkner, a lovely
girl with an independent fortune of thirty
thousand pounds ; she was extremely ami
able and well-informed, and I paid her as
much attention as my constitutional timidi
ty would allow me. It was evident that a
more intimate connection between us was
desired by our respective parents, and I lit
tle doubt but in the course of time I should
have mustered courage to propose for her,
and I doubt as little that I should have been
accepted. A confoundedly tall Irish Colo
nel, however, with black whiskers, and a
most ferocious aspect, appeared on the
scene, and became, as well as myself, the
constant attendant of Julia. But what
chance had I with a fellow of his appear
ance, profession, and impudence? His lo
quacity obliged me to sit in their presence
as silent as a statue ; or if I ventured to
make a remark, he was sure to interrupt
me before I could utter a sentence. If 1 se
cured her scarf to ensure myself the plea
sure of covering her ivory shoulders, he
would take it from me with the utmost cool
ness, and praise my attention to the ladies.
1 had once seated her in my cabriolet for a
drive, and was about to follow her, when
the Colonel rode up on horseback, and,
leaping from his saddle, entreated me, if 1
loved him, to try what I could do to tame
his animal, which, he said, was so vicious
that no horsemanship hut mine would have
any effect upon him. Without waiting for
a reply he seized the reins, leaped into the
carriage, and drove off, begging me, when 1
had done with the horse, to let my servant
take him to the stable : thither indeed ho
went, as soon as I had recovered from the
effects of this astounding piece of assu
rance.
One evening, as we were leaving Julia's
house, the Colonel addressed me in a very
quiet, and indeed in almost a friendly tone:
“ Faith now, my dear fellow,” said he,
“ this won’t do at all ; as only one of us
can marry this girl, we must not both of us
go on loving her at this rate ; so we’ll meet
to-morrow morning on Lansdown, and de
cide which it shall be. Just name your
friend, and I’ll desire my cousin Bob, who
always attends me on these occasions, to
call and arrange the affair.” All the
warmth of my affection for Julia thawed at
these words: I could live for her, but I
could not die for iier ; so I protested that
had I known his pretensions to the lady 1
should never have made advances, and
should thenceforward think no more of her.
This, he said, was so prodigiously hand
some, that he should be happy to become
more particularly acquainted with me—
and we parted with an engagement that I
should dine with him the next day, having,
he said, six elegant sisters whom he was
desirous of introducing to me. I went, and
was most graciously received by the whole
family, particularly by Miss O’Shane, the
.eldest daughter, a short thick girl, with
flaxen hair (now, like Lord Byron, “1 hate
a dympy woman,” and flaxen hair is my
abomination,) white cheeks, and no eye
brows. Next this lady I was seated at din
ner ; in the evening we went to the rooms,
and with this lady it was my fate to dance.
The next morning the Colonel called on
me, and took me with him to inquire after
the ladies; they were about to go on a
shopping expedition, and Miss O’Shane was
handed over to my protection. In short, by
the extremely clever conduct of Mrs. O’-
Shane, Colonel O’Shane, and MissO Shane,
the fashionable circles of the fashionable
city ofßatli speedily resounded with the in
tended” marriage of this accomplished young
lady and Mr. Tyrrel Tremlington.
Things had gone on in this way for a few
weeks, when one morning, meeting the Co
lonel in the Crescent, ho took me by the
arm, and turning into the gravel walk,
“Faith, Tremlington,” said he, “really
now I don’t think you use me well in this
affair with my sister: here’s all the world
acquainted with your attachment lo Martha
(I always detested the name of Martha,) ex-
cept her own broiher, and your particular
friend. Now if this concealment arose j
from any doubt of my consent, my dear fel- j
low, put that out of your head, for I do not 1
know the m'un with whom I would sooner
trust the girl’s-. Happiness than yourself.—
Upon my soul,- mrw, I’m in earnest; and
she is, I must say, the best creature in the
world—just suited to you—full of soul and ;
sentiment, (a woman of soul aud sentiment !
was ahvaysxpv abhorrence.) Just now, to i
he sure, a smfde of melancholy hangs about
her in consequence of Sir Thomas Litson’s !
conduct—perhaps you have not heard of it :
laitb he was a great scoundrel. It was at
Brighton last summer—he had been paying |
her attentions at all times and every where,
as kind and affectionate as your own, my
dear fellow—and every body said the day
was fixed, as they do now respecting you,
you know. He had made, too, considera
ble advances in her affections—not so far
as you have, however, that 1 must acknow
ledge. Well, I spoke to him one morning,
just as I am now speaking to you, and lie
had the impudence to tell me that he had
nothing to do with the talk of the town, ami -j
that be bad no intention of encumbering I
himself with a wife. You may guess the j
rest my good fellow ; we met the next
morning on the Downs, and I settled his bu
siness completely. I never made a cleaner j
shot in my life—tire surgeon told me after- j
wards that it went through the centre of the
pericardium. It struck first just here,”
said the Colonel, tapping the fourth button
of the left lappel of my coat, and the blow,
gentle as it was, would have prostrated me,
had it not been for the supporting arm of
the Colonel. “But come, I see you are !
agitated,” continued he, “ and the sooner 1
we get over the declaration—the premier i
pas, you know—the sooner your happiness I
will begin.”
I stopped a moment—l thought that I
also could tell him that 1 was not prepared
to encumber myself with a wife ; for a mo- ,
rricnt I considered whether it would not bet- j
ter to be shot at once than to be married to j
Miss O’Shane ; hut the thought of the pistol j
bullet through the centre of the pericardi- i
uni, eajne across my mind with all its
dreadful circumstantiality, and 1 suffered
myself to be led to the Colonel’s house,
where we found the voting lady, solitary
and melancholy. Here the Colonel soon
settled the business: he assured his sister j
of my unutterable attachment, entreated
her by a sister’s love to have compassion on
the “feelings of his friend; and when the
girl hid her face in one hand, and hold out
the other, he placed the latter in mine with
a most tremendous squeeze, and declared
it to bs the happiest day of his life. He
then led me aside, and entreated me not to
hurry the wedding-day too quickly ; he
hoped I could wait three weeks ; well, if 1
could not, if my ardor was so great, he must
insist for his sister’s sake, tiiat it should not
take place for a fortnight. He then turned
to his sister, and begged her, as she valued
rny happiness, she would not delay beyond
| the period he had named. What could
Miss O’Shane reply to this affectionate ad
! juration ? She turned up her eyes most
pathetically; and vowed she valued my
I happiness too highly to permit her to refuse
me any thing.
Thus! went home an engaged man, and
announced my fate with, tears and trem
bling, to my mother : the good lady scolded
—for she could scold, and I had not out
grown the terrors of her voice: but argu
ments and anger were both thrown away
upon me—the dreaded bullet through the
pericardium rendered me deaf to the one,
and careless of the other. My wedding
morning arrived, with a speed fearfully ac
celerated by niv sensations of dread at its
approach. Oh ! that wretched morning !
to complete its catalogue of miseries, it had
been fixed on for the union of the Colonel
with my Julia. A large company was
assembled at breakfast , but of the occur
rences of conversation, either then or du
ring the ceremony, I have no recollection ;
a sensation of utter despair overwhelmed
me, and I have an indistinct remembrance
of a vague desire to escape, when the great
door of the abbeyohurch was closed with a
violence that sent its echos along the vaul
ted aisles, and seemed tothunder in my cars
j the sentence of misery to which I was
doomed.
Since my marriage I have constantly re
sided at my mansion-house, and find my
self the universal object of injury and con
tempt. My game is destroyed—but I dare
not prosecute the offenders, lest I should
suffer for it by an attack upon my peison.
I am perpetually pestered with anonymous
letters threatening me with violence if I do
not adopt the course pointed out by the wri
ters. lam in the commission of the peace
—but do not dare to act, lest the culprits I
might be instrumental in punishing should
afterwards find means of vengeance. In
fact 1 lead a useless miserable life, govern
ed by my wife, robbed by Iter relatives, and
laughed at by my servants ; and if some
kind friend would but procure against me
a writ dc lunatico inquirendo, I should not
only take it as an act of kintlnegs, but would
most readily give evidence of my own in
sanity.
The Tombiglee River on Fire . —VV bile
Mr. J. M. Cooper was prosecuting the remo
val of McGrow’s Shoals, after boring to the
depth of 375 ft. his augur suddenly dropped
and entirely disappeared. In the space of
some several moments a deep hollow sound
was heard, resembling the rumbling noise
of distant thunder from the chasm below,
and at the same instant gushed forth from
the shaft (bus made a clear transparent.
.11. J. K APPEL, Printer.
oleaginous substance of liquid, which tioils
up very similar to the effervescence of a
boiling pot ; and which owing to tho slug
gishness of the current, has gradually dif
fused itself over the whole surface of the
river. A quantity has been collected, and
upon application of fire, it is found to burn
equal to the present sperm oil.
To gratify curiosity and make further
test, fire has been applied to the oil on the
water, and the whole surface ol'the river is
now burning, emitting a flame of most beau
tiful appearance, about <> inches high, and
has already extended about half way down
ito Fort Stodilart; the reflection of which
I upon the horizon at night, presents a most
sublime spectacle, far surpassing in gran
deur and beauty of appearance the aurora
borealis.— Mobile Journal.
From the Sandersvillc Telescope of Aug. 13.
EL()PEM EN T E XTR AORDIN AR Y.
A “runaway match” came off in Han
cock county a few weeks since, which
1 should he a warning hereafter to all “love
i sick” swains, who may bo driven to the dis
| agreeable necessity of taking the hand of
j their “lady love” without leave. We give
| the particulars as they come to us.
A young man had become desperately
| enamored by the charms of a Miss in the
i neighborhood, wiio thought proper to enter
tain kindred feelings towards him. Their
union was strenuously opposed by the moth
er of the young lady, who, for reasons “best
known to herself,” was not willing that her
only child should abandon the maternal
roof and unite her destiny with one who
“was no better than he should be!” By
! the-bye, this old lady was possessed of a
| peculiar sort of character, known and dc-
I signaled in this country, as a “ regular tar-
I rant !”
The young couple was, therefore, left no
j alternative but to elope, and have their un
ion consummated in defiance of the opposi
! tion of the mother.
Accordingly, the preliminaries for a
“runaway match,” was arranged by the
I lovers.
On the next Tuesday evening Miss was
to meet Mr. J. 8., the friend of her lover, at
the cow-pen, some two hundred yards from
the house,from whence she v. as to be convey
ed to this gentleman’s house, about 2 miles
j distant, where her lover was to be with the
proper officer in attendance, to unite them
I in the holy hands, ic.
On the evening appointed, our matrimo
nial hero made his appearance at the house
of his friend, and about dusk Mr. J. B. was
despatched after the intended bride. Our
hero remained in most painful suspense for
about an hour, when be burst forth in a
rare and beautiful strain of eloquence, pe
culiarly adapted to the romantic occasion.
“What on earth can detain my friend !
Can it be possible that he will prove recre
ant to the trust ? No ! but will he never
return ? W hat can detain him these hours,
days, riay. weeks !! on so important an er
!rand?”
At last the sound of horses feet was heard
approaching the house, and the glimpse of
a white dress in the dark convinced our he
ro that his lady love had been true to her
promise. The young man met the party
j in the yard, where lie seized the hand of his
bride, “now that we are out of the clutches
of that horrible old dame,” at the sam etime
he stole several ‘luscious’ smacks,“we may
consider our cup of happiness full to the
brim !” It will be remembered that the
bride had not spoken yet.
“ Speak my dear ! can it be pos
sible that the old hag,”—at this word his
face and eyes came in sudden contact with
the finger nails of the female, which was
repeated in such rapid succession, that the
poor fellow was compelled to retreat into
the next room in search of a hiding place,
but was pursued by the woman with demon
ferocity, who had by this time gathered a
broomstick and feathered in upon the bride
groom in good earnest, and our poor hero's
ideas were confounded and confused so that
he scampered over the house in search oi
a hiding place, until he had received a
sound drubbing.
The mystery was soon explained. The
old lady had overheard the lovers when the
arrangements were made for the elopement,
and had resolved to play a trick on them
that they would not soon forget. Accor
dingly, she placed herself in the daughters
place at the cow-pen. Above we have the
result of her adventure.
HUMMIMG BIRD’S NEST.
We were shown a day or two since, a
humming bird’s nest, which we cannot but
pronounce one of the most ingenious and
perfect specimens of architectme wc ctci
saw. It is built of the down of the mead
ow flag (well known among children in the
country as “busy fails,”) and is fastened
upon a limb apart from the branches. It
is quite deep and nearly circular, with a
small aperture at the top. The means
which the cunning bird employs to conceal
it from observation, are quite worthy of a
reasoning being. The outside of the nest
perfectly covered with small pieces of moss
gathered or> the same limb on which (he
nestis built ; giving the nest the appear
ance of a small knot or wart upon the limb.
The pieces of moss are woven on by fibres
of the down, which on close examination,
can be seen encircling the nest in every di
rection, and render the external cover quite
firm. The nests of this cunning little bird
a’re so artfully concealed and disguised in
this manner, that they are seldom found.- -
I Love!l Courier.
[VOIiVMI'i XXVI