ther, till finally he conducted himself in
a very promiscuous manner, and she told him to go 'long about his
business, or she'd tell Captain Kelson of his doings. Well, that made
him just about as mad as a hoe, and so when they come to the Devil's Gap
he kinder kicked away one eend of the bridge, and then turned to and
hauled down that 'ere scrub oak that growed clost to the bridge, so's
folk mought think 'twas done by accident; and so there the poor gal was
left by herself till old Captain Bowline and I and my two boys and
Captain Kelson, come there and rigged a kind of trumporary bridge like,
and got her safe over, and that's the whole consarnment of the matter as
far as I know any thing on't."

This account of the affair, coming from an eye-witness, was considered
authentic, being full as correct as the stories of eye-witnesses
generally are. Mary at first attempted to contradict it, but finding her
efforts fruitless, prudently determined to let the story die a natural
death, which it soon did; a tremendous gale of wind and a shipwreck on
the Whale's Nose having in less than a week most effectually turned the
current of conversation into another channel.

Mr. Millinet reached New York in safety, and solaced himself for his
defeat in New England by attention to his pretty person, and his pretty
customers, balls, assemblies, and billiards; in process of time made a
fashionable failure, a fashionable marriage, and commenced business
afresh. To the questions of his acquaintance respecting his excursion
"down east," he was shy and reserved; evading all questions on the
subject by declaring that he had passed his time very pleasantly while
he was in New England, but that the people had some very peculiar and
odd notions of things. In process of time the story of his repulse
reached New York with all its embellishments. Some of his friends were
exceedingly shocked at the idea of his having made an attempt upon the
life of a young lady, for such seemed the tenor of the story; but those
who knew him best fully acquitted him of any thing of the kind, inasmuch
as he had not courage sufficient to offer violence to a hen and
chickens. A true version of the story soon after came out, and Mr.
George Frederic was compelled to undergo the ridicule of all his
acquaintance.

Mary Bowline became Mrs. Thomas Kelson on "Thanksgiving-day-night," as
the New England folks call it, on which joyful occasion the flagstaff
was rigged "all a-t