Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1872-05-01
AN OLD MANS ROMANCE.

AN OLD MANS ROMANCE.
John rylsr.-Inssrsssinp R.mini.ossoss BY H.nry A.
Wiss-.An Old Mans Lovs.M Match Thst Turned Out
Happily.
Itisg generally held that thero is very
little OF the romantic element in the
American Presidency, and not without
reason for men to enter the Presiden.
tial Office 80 late in life that they have
become as matter-of fact as soap suds
and saleratus but cx.Govornor Wise,
OF Virginia, in his recently published
and very clever volume, "Seven De-
cades of the Union"-which we'll de.
serves reading-gives an account Of
President Tyler's second marriage
that is very entertaining. Mr.. Tyler
became widower while he was Pres
idcnt, losing wife who was very
noble woman, member of the we'll
known family of Christian, in the Old
Dominion. He was domestic man,
and pure man, and n second mar
riage is tho most natural thing in the
world when a man has been happy in
q first marriage; but then it is thought
that widower should marry lady
of experience not unlike his own
Mr.. Wise sayst that he was in Mr.. Tyler's
coach, taking drive with him, in
March, 1914, when he soon discovered
that his friend would talk only of love
and ladies' "We had always heard"
said Mr. Wise, "that an old fool is the
worst of fools in love sickness, and be
showed the usual signs of its contor-
tions into hideous shapes Of seeming.
lie got it out at last, that he thought
of marriage, and wanted to know our
opinion on the subject. "Well, Of
course, you have sought out and found
out some honored dame of dignity,
who can bring grace to the White
House and add to your domestic CON-
fortr ooh, no dame, but sweet
damsel' 'Who, pray, of damsel de-
gree could or should an old President
VIM He told US; and we uttered
our astonishmcnt by asking, Have
you really won her |? He replied,
'yes, and why should / notY We
answered that he was too far advanc-
ed in life 10 be imprudent in love
scrape. How imprudentp 2 he asked
Easily you are not only past the
middle age (he was then fifty-fourl,
'but you are President of the United
States, and that is dazzling dignity,
which may charm beautiful damsel
more than the man she marries.' =
pooh !'sns cried, cnuckling merrily,
why, my dear sir, am just full In
my primep 'Ah, but has John Y.
Mason never told you about an old
friend Of his, on the South side of the
James, rich and full of acres, calling
his African waiter, Toney, into coun-
Gil under the tender topic Of marrying
miss in her teensY Toney shook
his head and said, 'Massa, you think
you can stand dat?' yes, Toney
why notl She is so sweet, SO beauli.
ful, that she would make me rise from
bed Of illness and weakness to WOO
her for bride; but am yet strong,
and can now, as we'll as ever could,
make her happy Yes; but, massa.
said Toncy, you is now in your prime,
dat's true; but when she is in her
prime, where den, massa, will your
prime ber He laughed heartily at
Toney's philosophical observation, but
afterward, in seriousness, said that he
longcd for the renewal of his domestic
life, and had been fairly caught by the
famo of Miss Gardiner. We remon-
strated that his life was renewed in
bis children that he had daughters,
full of grace, fit TO do tho honors OF
the White House, and some of them
were the elders of his intended. What
if family dissent should make domes.
tic jars, and his latter days be troubled?
He had, be said, always been too ten.
der TO the pledges of his past love for
them ever to withhold from him their
filial confidence, or deny to him his
parental authority to judge and act
for his own happiness! We saw the
game was up, and then said: I'VE see
you nrc bent upon your last love, with
or without counsel, and you have ever
been too lucky for US now to doubt or
distrust your fate. You are going to
marry the damsel, and we are not
foolish enough to make two enemies
by opposing the passion of the wooer
and the won.'" Tho marriage took
place on the 26th Of June, 1874, Presi.
dent Tyler boing thon in bis fifty fifth
year, and the bride, Miss julia Gardi
ner, about twenty, and whom We re-
member being much spoken of es
beautiful girl, and Washington belle
Of those long-gone days She was a
New York lady, of good family, as the
phrase is, and descended, we have
heard, from old Lyon Gardiner, who
fourished in the colonial age, and who
gave his name to Gardeners Bay and
Gardeners Island, on and in Long
Island Sound. The marriage proved |
a very happy one, and Mrs. Tyler,
who has survived her husband more
than ten years, is not yet old. Mr..
Tyler, some years after the marriage,
said to Mr.. Wise, when the latter noted
that his friend kept "a double seated,
four-wbccled wicker carriage for small
children" eyes, you see how right |
was; it was no vain boast when /
told you was in my primo. have
houscfull of goodly babies budding
around me, and if you will go up with
mo to Sherwood, | will show you how
bountifully and rapidly have been
blessed. They are all so near in age
that they arc like stair steps, and the
two youngest arc so much babies alike
that each requires tho nurses coach,
and wo have TO have one with two
seats y So that marriage turned out
wei, despite tho fact that tho gentleman
wgs old enough to be the ludy's grand.
father, and we are glad OF Il, for Mr..
Tyler had SO much injustice done him
as a public man that ho was entitled
to compensation In bis private life.