Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1859-07-27
From the Liberia Christian Advocate

A LIBERIAN LOVE SToRY.-Among the
number of recaptured Africans in the United
States steamship Niagara there were two
young Congoes-Kabendah and Kandah-who
became strongly attached to each other on the
passage. During the few weeks that all who
landed from that ship remained at Monrovia,
and in the same receptacle, this mutual at
tachment strengthened and matured into pas
sion, that regarded every earthly possession
and enjoyment valueless, if it embraced not
the one darling object of its choice.
None but the parties themselves were at all
IN the secret; and hence when a division had
to be made, and some of the company, for
many wise reasons, must go to other portions
Of the Republic, the young man Kabendah
was selected to go to Bassa. When made ac-
quainted with this determination as to himself,
he manifested extreme reluctance, and begged
to be permitted to stay where he then was
But those having authority in the matter, in
the absence of any special reason, insisted that
he must go. He went. The secret soon got
out On reaching Bassa, this hitherto lively
and promising young Congo was down. heart
ed-refused to wash or eat, and neglecting the
personal attention common to his tribe, grew
wan, poor, and soon fell sick, replying to those
whS spoke with him on the subject, in a spirit
of desperate coolness-"What use he be for
me to live Suppose no get dat gal, want
to die"
In the meantime, manifestations in the Mon
rovla receptacle on the part of one there show
ed that Kabendah's love was not misplaced or
without compensation in the strong affection
OF his loving fellow in misfortune and misery
his wildly -adored Kandah. The humane
appropriations of those who had these children
OF wrong and suffering under care arranged to
save the life of Kabendah and remove his saw
age grief by having him returned to Monrovia.
Once more the lovers met. Subsequently,
kandah not being WELL was inquired of by one
of the teachers as follow :-"What if it should
be thought not best for you to marry Kaben-
dab 90 Her cool reply, looking her teacher
full in the face, was, "Well, can die" The
lovers were submitted to no such trial of their
affection and tendencies to desperation in the
destruction of their own lives. 1t was agreed
upon by the agents that their marriage be i'm
mediatey celebrated, and in as nearly a civil
lied and Christian style as their own rude and
barbarous state would admit of
We were invited to attend the nuptia,s; but
sickness dashed this cup of meditated plea
sure from our lips. On the afternoon of the
18th ult., the successful lovers were joined in
to matrimony by the Rev. John Seyes. Every
thing, we are informed, was conducted with
much responsibility, which, while it reflected
so little credit on the managers in the matter,
without doubt made its impression on the minds
of all the witnesses belonging to the company.
The sequel to the above is to be found in the
following announcement in the same paper:
Mdrried.-On Thursday, the 18th inst,
(Nlarch), at the Colonization Receptacle in
Monrovia, by the Rev. John Seyes, Keben-
dah alias James Buchanan to Randall, alias
Ann Liberin jeff, both liberated Africans of
the company by the United States ship
Niagara.