Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1859-02-10

A CURIOUS SToRY.-Irenton, ~ J., Jan. 26.
Some three years ago, | was made acquant-
ed with a most extraordinary narrative of
which l am now reminded by the sequel. l
will state the facts as nearly as l can, without
pretending to the precision of my informant.
Shortly after the Revolutionary War, a certain
man was keeping tavern in Trenton. He had
two daughters, his only children, and both of
them said to be comely lasses. One day a
French gentleman, with rich equipage, rode
up to the tavern, and ordered dinner One of
the daughters alluded to waited on him at the
table, and he was so fascinated by her actual
charms, or so Modified by the good liquors of
''mine host, that, when he had finished his din
ner, he offered the young lady his heart and
his hand. She called her parents in to hear
the singular offer, when he told them that he
was widower, that he had property, and that
he loved their daughter, whom, with their per-
mission, he would wed in form as soon as they
could reach Philadelphia. He moreover,
asked them to go with him to that city, and
see the marriage properly performed. Within
an hour the parents, with their daughter, were
in the Frenchman's carriage, on their way to
Philadelphia, where the marriage took place.
Not long afterwards the Monsieur set sail for
France with his pretty young bride.
Many years passed away withoutany tidings
from the young lady who had entered into
marriage in such circumstances. Both her pa
rents died without hearing what became of her,
and her sister was married to a man named
Cook. When the Rev. Mr.. j. Armstrong was
pastor ofthe church in Trenton, several letters
came to him from London lawyer acting for
this lady, and asking what had become Of her
sister! Was she married To whom? And
had she children? In these letters the lawyer
stated that the Frenchman treated his wife with
the most considerate affection, but that his
children, by former marriage, resented her
intrusion upon them, and made her very I'M
happy.
Her husband, hearing how it was, cured the
evil by threatening to disinherit them. In due
time he died, leaving her, in her own right
property enough to make her independent
She afterwards removed to England, and was
there solicited in marriage by wealthy gen
tleman, and widower, with grown children.
She told him the only objection to his offer
was, the fear his children would make her un-
happy. He called them together and stated
the matter to them with this very positive al
tentative q mean to marry this lady; if you
will treat her with the respect which is due my
wife, will now give each of you so many
thousand pounds-if you will not, | will cut
you off with a shilling" Such inducements
had the desired effect and she was married the
second time. In few years her second hus-
band died, leaving her very fine estate in her
own right. BY the generosity of her two hus-
bands she had been made independently rich,
but she had not single heir, unless her sister
had children Hence the London lawyers
letters.
1t was ascertained that the sister married
one Ellis Cook, and man of that name lived
in Hanover, Morris County, but Mrs. Ellis
Cook did not answer the description For
long time all the inquiries would lead right
back to Elias Cook in Morris County. At
last another trail was found, which led them
to an Elias Cook in Vermont, whose wife
proved to be the long-soughtfor sister. Mean
while, the wealthy woman in England died,
and her property went into the English Treas
ury, until an heir could be found for it
A lawyer in this county undertook to get
it for the Vermont family, at his own ex-
pense, and in case of success, he was
to have half of all that was obtain
ed. l am told that for ten or twelve years
he had done nothing else but trace out this
thing, perfecting the claim of his clients to
the property and at last with incredible pains,
he had secured his end, and has paid to the
heirs their portion Of the property. One of
these heirs he found at the West, a humble
cober, whose share was to be some sixteen
thousand dollars. The poor man was taken
all aback with his good fortune, and told the
lawyer that he did not know what to do with
so much money, difficulty which that acute
gentleman met by advising him to give each
of his six boys a thousand dollars and to in
vest the balance for his own benefit.-Cor. of
". Y. Tribune