Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1839-01-29
THE WIDOW OF -FOUR HUSBANDS


crowd Of fashion that fitted through the
Avenue, widow lady, whose history Is so
singular, and whose personal charms are
SO attractive that / finger with wonder
over the first, and-with honest and devo.
ted admiration over the latter,
This lady is not yet on the other side Of
five and thirty years, and yet she has had
and lost four husbands and what Is. most
extraordinary, they all died Of violence.
The first husband was killed in rowing a
REGATTA between London Bridge and
Shoredich. He was aboard the winning
barge, the Lady Stanhope, when man
in the losing barge, the Duke of Suffolk,
struck him with the blade of an oar. in a
moment of irritation, and the poor fellow
died a few days afferwards.-The wife
and widow of course went into weeds.
end retired to the rural scenes Of War.
wickshire, where she resolved to spend
the remainder of her days in seclusion.
1t did so happen, however, that a gallant
and dashing Major, attached to the e4th
Regiment of his Majesty's Infantry, found
his way to the young widows retreat in
Warwickshire; and although her grief
was excessive, sincere and unqualified, she
could not for the soul of her, resist his
elOquence, when he threw himself at her
feet, and descanted with all the eloquence
of Tully, and in the mingled cadences
and sentences of the philosopher and the
platOnic lover, Of the delights of "fourth
estate" in the world of beauty. He talk.
ed to her of love and honor, and of chivaI.
ry; and swore that he lived but to adore
her, and was ready to meet the noblest
and most gallant knight that the world
could afford, at the tournament, and win
the favor Of his lady love, by trial of battle.
The lady listened, fingered, and wept and
rejoiced over the passions of the lover
and last, cast aside her weeds, and abiured
the Sylvan scene of Warwickshire gave
her hand to the gallant Major, and set up
an establishment in the MoOr.Field Finish.
ing Square.
A few months after her union with the
Major, she accompanied him on an excur-
sion to Belgium. Whilst at Brussels,
they spent an evening in the Library of
Orange palace, and the lady received, as it
was subsequently supposed, an uninten-
tional insult, at the hands of an Austrian
Colonel. The Major was impetuous in
a paroxism Of madness, Spat in the face Of
the offender. Usual cards were forthwith
exchanged, and the sequel was duel Oh
the banks Of the Scinne. At the first fire,
the Major fell mortally wounded, and
scarcely had time to commend his wife to
the protection of an English Admiral,
then at Brussels, before he surrendered,
"--His hOnors to the world again
His blessed part to Heaven, and slept in peace"
Again were weeds and seclusions resor.
ted to, by the unfortunate lady; and, she
had resolved, at one time, to enter a Mo-
nastic Institution, and devote herself to
the rosary and cross, but ere she could
carry her rash designs into execution, a
Scotch merchant, native Of Glasgow, q
man distinguished for his wealth and com.
mercial enterprise, who accidentally hap.
pened to be in BRUSSELS, sought, wooed and
won her already twice widowed heart.
They were married at the Hotel de Vile,
and soon after emigrated to London The
husband, not more than month after his
marriage, was called by imperious bust.
ness to Scotland, and leaving his wife at
her establishment in Moor. Field, sailed in
the Inflated Rothsay Castle Steamer for
the North. With that unfortunate vessel,
he went " down to the bottom" of the
Deep, deep sea,
and from that disastrous day, no hope o.
the ultimate restoration Of his liEeless form
has greeted tie anxious ear of love and
affection. But the widow was not destin.
ed TO remain in her third estate of weeds
and anguish" Sir Charles s " > -
about the period Of the Widows third
wdowhood, returned to London, flushed
with success and possessed with welltE
abundant, fresh from Coromandel. He
sought and found the widow of the Moor,
Field, as she was then Familiarity designa-
ted, and it is scarcely necessary to say
that that dashing and gallant soldier, was
soon the Commissioned Lord and Mas
teri Of the young widows heaFt.-SooT
after the marriage Of Sir Charles will
the widow--it might have been eight d
ten months afterWards--he was oFdereC
off on diplomatic mission to the Ger
man States and whilst making ajOurney
: from Lubec to Frankfort on the Maybe, II
a stage coach, the vehicle was assailed b
. robbers, and Sir Charles, and ell the u
! mates Of the carriage, were brutally muir
dered. The wife, now once more wild
ow, had remained in England, and wa
left to weep over the death Of q fourt
husband, who like his predecessors, hal
fallen before the hand Of violence.
N met this lady in Florence and 4
Rome, some few years ago. She We
then intimate al the Villa Of the Mar
quis Of Hastings, and ii was there that
frzt learned her extraordinary story
], Yesterday 1 met her in PennsylVania AZ
enue, and 10 my surprise she recognise
me. She remains 10 this city but tel
DAYS, however, and IS now on her va
fom The city Of Mexico to London. SEl
IA. beautiful, and though hel life has bee
cbeouered BY melancholy, and. disastTou
incidents, s1e appears not 70 have lost al
3 of hef pristine bboyancy Of spirit, ns
o. have ne united attacks Of time and Sol
e row. made any Hatcfialimpresslon on 9
Y slgaancs ofher form oFths bFilliancy q b
rpef6onal bsaoty. 90
VI qInreply 70 i good nalured remark
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