Portland Gazette, And Maine Advertiser

LAW AND MATRIMONY.

Rutland (Vt.) County Court, November term.

Siloma WOOD, vs. ADERO ANTHONY.

In this case, founded upon the promise of the defendant to intermarry with the plaintiff, and his refusal to perform, it appeared in evidence, the defendant, about 8 years since, paid his visits to the plaintiff, an orphan child, and continued them until recently, having only suspension, by agreement of the parties, with the view to procure the consent of defendant's parents; that the defendant had written to the plaintiff sundry epistles in the style of affection, and had employed some of the neighbours to procure consent of his parents who remained inflexible, and from disapproved love, a babe sprung to life, which wept for the unchanged name of its mother. The plaintiff claims for her damages, 1000 dollars.

From the conduct of the parties, strong evidence of the mutual intention and promise of marriage is made to the jury.

The chief judge charged the jury upon the law and the fact, in a manner most impressive of his own sensibility. The tear which trembled in his eye, and the often faltering tongue, were no doubtful heralds of his heart. Nature spoke with eloquence, which could not fail to command; and while others were hung in mute attention by the commingled force of indignation and of generous sympathy, the forbidding parent, present in court, felt a dagger in his heart. Conscience took the alarm, and trembled like the needle to its point. When the jury had retired, the chief judge, disdaining the little delicacies of false greatness, left his bench, and was sought by the parent, who requested the honorable judge to see the parties and name to them his consent. The jury soon returned with a verdict: the court refused to receive it, and directed the foreman to keep it sealed until the morrow. In the evening Judge Clark, having received the consent of the parent, and provision from him for the future happiness of the parties, married them. The next morning spread its beams upon a smiling village, and the suit was abated for want of legal parties.

May the beams of Heaven long delight to shine upon the mansion of wedded love; and may man feel that it is impious & feeble to attempt to blot from the chancery of Heaven, affections there registered by an Almighty hand.