, 1859-06-04
H0mAnce Of tho Lost 14IAA6
Calamity.

A Romance Of tho Lost lalRad
Calamity.
lCorte~pontence u the 30. Republican,
INV 0kLrAss, AAy =, ls3.
A story, strange and romantic enough to seem
the invention Of an imaginative mind, bccame
known rcccnt1y to few persons in this city; ret
however romantic or strange it may sound, the
gentleman who communicated it to me assured
Inc Of its absolute TRUTH and garc methe names
of the parties connected with the affair. At the
time when that terrible catastrophe occurred at
Lost Island, utf the Southern coast Of Louisiana,
By which 60 many unfortunate people were
swept bodily into the Gulf By the raging tenn
pest. or oyertakcn and drowned By the rising
Hood, that oyerwhe.mcd'the low, sandy key,
middle aged gentleman and his family, consist
ing Of d wife and TWO or three children, we're
involved in the calamity 10 the midst Of the
thick gloom, the storm. the confusion mud terror
Of the scene, the gentleman became separated
from his little family, and barely escaped with
his iifc The horror aud distress Of the poor
man at the sudden loss Of his dear ones may be
imagined By those who lore their own wires
and children. For several days Ills friends
feared that bis mental sut3erings would deprive
lin. Of reason, and .ne Of them kindly iuvited
lcans, for ! time, hoping that lie would gradaa-
}y come to look more calmly upon tie misfor-
tune that had bctalen him.
It happened that with the famiy in which he
thpsbecatne donestlcated was living young and
accomplished lady, Of tine person and manners.
who, having compassion upon the afflicted stran-
ger, took upon herself tue pous duty Of doing
everything in her power to alleviate his SORROWS
aud make him forget the past. She played and
sang for him, read to him, talked with him,
walked with him, rode with him, and finally
laughed and iuke d with Aim--so heetlnS and
trailsitory arc the greatest Of human CRIES when
brought under the influence Of the enjoymants
and delights Of llfe.
In briei, she carried her consultations 50 far
that the gentleman became enamored, infasuat-
ed, and offered his laud and fortune. Whether
she rcciprocated his passion, or whether the
fact sac was pour school.tcacher and he
wealthy planter influenced lter decision upon
his proposition, is not question proper 10 be
considered here. Suffice it to say that she ac-
crpted his offer, STIMULATING that. out Of due re-
s.'ect to public opinion, year must el1psc be-
fore their union should bc copsummated. As
tine passed on, the prcparltlonsfor for magnificent
wedding proceeded. The gentleman purchased q
splendid lrousscau, laid out bis plans for bridal
tour aud for their subsequent domestic settle
until near the close Of lils term Of probation.
The event Of single day, III this case as in
thousands Of otlcTs served TO destroy in an in
slant lis matrimonial schemes, though whether
his subsequent peace Of mind and happiness
were not pru1noted thereby is question. L
aunrl 11tue preFlaus 10 me Aay assigned 1uf LIS
wedding lIe received letter from his wfe-still
in the iiesh--datcd at Rio de Jauciro, informing
him that she aud one Of their children we're
alive and well, and would probably he in his
| arms within a very brief period. 1t appears
| that amidst the destruction and chaos Of the
| terrible storm in which it had been supposed
she and her little ones were lost, Madaule -
ciun4 to her Youngest Child and when the wares
submerged Tie Island and swept awny every
thing upon it, she 1oated out into The gulf
upon certain fragments of tho general wreck.
Drifting, finally, after much suffering, in
to the track Of scl-gong vessels. t0 and
from this ror., size was picked ~ by an out
ward bound ship and carried 10 Rio, no oprnr-
| tunity securing, in the meantime, ,u send her
back tu the States. Tic voyage was u long
one, md sickness l.ad prevented her frusn tax,
ing passage in the first vessel that sailed for lle1
native land, and by some fatality the letter
! which Thus api'rized him If ller existence
reached bis hands but few hours prerons tt
her own urrisal Whit followed can readily be
ilnagincd-how the sober, staid, midd1c-avcd
/ gentleman, doubtful whether to be disappointed
| or happy, broke the astounding 1,ews to his TIL.
| su.pec,ing tiancce; how she, poor girl, wen1
first into tears and then into Mysteries, and w:,'
finally consoled by his pccuuiary Iiberaiity, anG
how I'LL parties ultimately resumed their origina
positions and were happy, the wife not being
| permitted IL knuw how narrowly her HUSBAND
l.ad escaped slipping his neck into j secunf
| matrimonial halter