Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1862-05-03
1rving's Love Story.

Many years ago, according to Nor
wester," of the Boston Post, Washing
ton Irving wrote the explanation of his
bachelorhood to lady, who inquired
of him the reason of his never having
married. The story Is in accordance
with an impression that has gained cir
culation, and we quote it:
1t was while engaged in writing his
"History Of New York" that Irving,
then young man of twenty-six, was
called to mourn the somewhat sudden
death of Matilda Hoffman, whom he
had hoped to have called his wife,
This young lady was the second daugh-
ter OF Josiah Ogden Hoffman, and the
sister of those two talented men, Chas.
Fenno Hoffman, the poet, and Ogden
Hoffman, the eloquent jurist. In her
fathers Office Washington Irving had
essayed to study law, and with every
prospect, if industrious and studious,
of a partnership with Mr.. Hoffman, as
well as matrimonial alliance with Ma
tilda. These high hopes were disap-
pointed by the decease of the young
lady on the 29th Of April, 1909, in the
eighteenth year Of her age.
There is pathos about Irving's re-
cital of the circumstances of her death
and his own feelings, that is truly pain
ful and tear-impelling. He says =
"She was taken i'll with cod.-
Nothing was thought of it at first but
she grew rapidly worse, and fell into
consumption. l cannot tell you what
I suffered. X saw her
fade rapidly away beautiful and more
angellcai to the very last. I was often
by her bedside; and in her wandering
state OF mind she would talk to me with
a sweet natural and affecting eloqnence
that was overpowering. l saw more
OF the beauty of her mind in that de-
lirious state than I had ever known be-
fore. Her nalady was rapid in it's ca
reer, and hurried her off in two months.
Her dying struggles were painful and
protracted. For three days and nights
l did not leave the house, and scarcely
slept | was by her when she died;
all the family were assem- led around
her, some praying, others weeping, for
she was adored by them all. I was
the last one she looked upon. =
II cannot tell you what horrid
state Of mind was in for long time.
l seemed to care for nothing; the
world was 4 blank to me. | abandon
ed all thoughts of the law. l went in
to the country, but could not bear SOL
itude, yet could not enjoy society
There was dismal horror continually
III my mind. that made me fear to be
alone. L nad often to get up IN the
night and seek the bedroom of my
brother, as if the having human be-
ing oy me would relieve me from the
frightful gloom Of my own thoughts
Months elapsed before my mind would
resume any tone: but the desponden-
cy | had suffered for long time in the
course of this attachment, and the an
guish that attended its catastrophe,
seemed to give turn to my whole
character, and to throw some clouds
into my disposition, which have ever
since hung about it.
| seemed to drift about without aim or
object, at the mercy of every breeze :;
my heart wanted anchorage. I was
naturally susceptible, and tried to form
other attachments, but my heart would
not hold on it would continually re-
cur to what it had lost; and whenever
there was pause in the hurry of nov
city and excitement, [ would sink into
dismal detection. For years | could
not talk on the subject Of this hopeless
regret; could not even mention her
name but her image was continually
before me, and l dreamt of her inces-
sanity"
How sweetly, too, does Irving por-
tray with his artist-pen the lineaments
OF his loved one. He says in the same
letter.
''The more / saw of her the more I
had reason to admire her. Her mind
seemed to unfold itself leaf by leaf.
and every time to discover new sweet
ness. Nobody knew her so we'll as /.
tor she was generally tinid and silent:
but |, IN manner studied her excel
INV 4>OFSi olu ulcSJ WIN more
intuitive rectitude Of mind, more ma
tive dellracv, more exquisite propriety
in word, thought and action. than in
this young creature. / am not exae
gerating; what l say was acknowledge
ed by all who knew her. Her brill
liant little sister used to say that people
began by adnlring her, but ended by
loving Matilda. For my part id oHz
ed her. | felt at times rebuked by her
superior delicacy and purity, and as if
| was coarse, unworthy being in COM
parison."
Irving seldom Or never alluded to
this sad event, nor was the name of
Matilda ever spoken in his presence
Thirty years after her death, Irving
was visited by Mr.. Hoffman, and a
grand daughter in DRAWING ont sono