Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1859-06-09
Cor 1t ST Louis Rcpubloan3
A Romance oftho Lost Island Calamity


NEw OaLrAxs. ls50.-A story, strange and ro.
mantle enough to seem tho invention oi nn imHgi-
native mind became known recently 10 = few per-
sous IN thisety yet thowevor Romantic or strange
it may sound. the gentlemen who communicated
1t to me assured mo Of it's absolute truth, aud gave
mo the names of the parties connected with tho
affair. At the tim0 when tho terrible catastr0-
phe occurred at Lost Island of tho Southern cost
Of Louisiana. by which ~ many unfortunate reo.
pie were swept bodily into tho Gulf by the raging
tempest. or ovcrtaken and drowned by tho rising
food that overwhelmed tho low. sandy key. q mid
die nged gentleman aud his family, consisting Of
wife and two or three children, were involved In
the calamity.
In tho midst of tho thick gl"om. tho storm. the
confusion and terror Of the scene, tho gentleman
became separated from his little family and barely
escnped with his lifo. The horror aud distress Of
the poor man nt tho sudden loss OF his dear ones
mny be imagined by those who love their own
wivos and children. For several days his friends
fcnred that his mental sufferines would deprive
him Of reason, aud one Of them kindly invited him
to make his home at his house in New Orleans
for time, hoping that he would gradually come
to look more calmly upon tho misfortune that
had befnen him
1t happened that with the family In which no
thus became d0mosticatd, was living u Young and
accomplished Indy, Of fine person and manners,
who, having compassion upon tho afflicted stran-
gcr. took upon herself the pious duty Of doing
rythIng il. her power to alleviate his sorrows and
make him forget the past. She played and sang
for him. read ~ him. rode with him, and finally
laughed aud joked with hm--so feetihg and
transitory aro tho greatest oi human griefs when
brought under the influence oftho enjoyments and
delights of lie.
In brief, she carried her consultations no far that
the gentleman became enam0red, infatuated, and
offered her his hand and fortune. Whether she
reeiprocatcd his passion. or whether the fact that
she WINS II poor schootcacher and he wealthy
planter influenced her decision upon his PROPOSE
ton, is not question proper to DO considered
here. Suffice IL 10 sny that sho accepted his Offer,
stipulnting that. out Of duo respect public opin-
ion, a year must elanso bcfure their union should
DO contaminated. As time passed on preparations
for magnificent wedding proceeded. The gen
tcman purchased IL splendid troussrau, laid out
his plans for bridal tour and for their subsequent
domestic settlement, and in fact everything went
on swimmingly until near the close Of his term Of
probation. The event Of u single day in this case
~ in thousands Of Others served to destroy in IN
instant his matrimonial schemes. though whether
his subsequent peace Of mind and happiness were
not promoted thereby is Il question. A short time
previous to the day assigned for his wedding he
received letter from his wife-still in the Aesh--
dated at Rio 10 Janero, informing him that she
and one Of their children was alive and well, and
would probably DO in his arms within very short
period.
IL appears tnat AMIDST the uestruCtiOn ana cha-
Of the terrible storm in which it bad been sup
posed she and her little opes were lost, Madame
--clung TO her youngest child, and when the
waves submerged tho island and swept away eve
rytbing upon it, she aoaed out into the gulf upon
certain fragments Of the general wreck. Drifting,
finally, after much suffering into the track Of sea-
going vessels II and from this port she was pick
cd up by an outward bound ship and carried to
Rio, no opportunity occurring, in the meantime,
u send her back to tho States. The voyage was n
, long one, md sickness had prevented her from
taking passage in the hrst vesse! that sailed for
her nntive land. and by some fatality the letter
which thus apprizcd him Of her existence. reached
his hands but few hours previous to her own ar
rival. Whnt followed can rendily bo imagined
how the sober Staid. middle aged gentleman,
doubtful whether to be disappointed or happy,
broke the astounding news to his unsuspecting
fancee: how she, poor girl, went fret into tears
and then into mysteries, and was finally consoled
BY his pecuniary liberality, and how oil parties
ultimately resumed their original. positi' rs and
were happy, the wife not being permitted ~ know
how narrowly her husband had escaped slipping
his neck into a second matrimonial halter.