The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-04-05
ARomance OF Real Life.

(From Boston Correspondence Chicago Tribune,
The truth Is stranger than fiction eV
erybody knows. But real life is not mere
" more strange-it Is often more roman
tic than anything invented by the 70
nance writers. An instance OF this has
recently occurred within our knowledge
and the dcnouement OF the story Is &c
pleasant that can not refrain from CIV
Ing It 10 your readers. l can vOuCh tOr
its correctness, as one, ut least, OF the
parties concerned is well known TO me:
About ten years ago a wealty mer-
chant Of this city, having an only child
Il beautiful girl OF seventeen, became
alarmed at certain indications Of a con-
sumptive tendency in her, and, to recruit
her health, sent her TO pass some months
at country home among the hills Of
Vermont Tho young lady recovered
her health but sho lost her heart. She
made the acquaintance Of young man
named O., q farmers SOD, intelligent
and well educated, but working ma
chinist. The young people became
warmly attached to each other, and en-
tered into an engagement conditional on
the consent of the lady's father. But
the latter had more ambitious views
for his daughter; and, when the
young machincst presented himself
as her suitor, he was treated
with very little ceremony, was, In fact,
dismissed by her father in manner so ot'
eDsiye that pride forbade him to make
any further advances. lie went West,
and entered into business In St LOUIS
Having plenty Of talent, energy, and char
uCler, lie was successful, soon had O large
establishment OF his own, and has acCu-
mulatcd handsome fortune. Absorbed
in business, and in the various occupA-
liOns Of man OF prominence and indu-
cnce, he had doubtless Outgrown his carly
isappointmcnt in love, but hc had formed
no other attachment, and remained un-
married.
The young girl meanwhile, her lover
being quite lost to her, accepted the hus-
band selected by her father, was married,
and went to live in France. At the end
Of two years she became widow, but
continued TO reside abroad. She was In
possession Of modest fortune, and, her
parents having died in this interval, there
was nothing to call her back TO Boston.
Up 10 September Ol last year this was the
position OF Affairs between these two.
With each the brief romance Of their car
" youth had faded into the memory of
tender dream; and nothing could have
seemed less likely than the occurrence oi
any event which should reunite their sum
tlerc1 lives.
However, 1t so icll out that the require.
ments of MIR. G--'s business took him
last year to Europe, and he remained
abroad several months. One evening, late
in September, he was on board o little
steamer going from Marseilles TO Leghorn,
when there came up ono Of the sudden
storms for which those waters are un-
pleasantly noted. It was very rough,
hut no danger was anticipated, Mr..
G. sat on deck watching the storm;
aud many other passengers. among them
several ladies, were doing the same. One
of thc3atter had rlsCn from her seat 10 90
below, andIwas standing in an unguarded
attitude, when, the steamer giving Q vio-
lent lurch, she lost her balance and was
thrown overheard. Mr.. c. saw the
mishap, and instantly leaped after her
into the sea. He was fortunate enough
10 find and support her; but It was dark,
the sea was running high, and, though a
boat was quickly sent out by the people
on the steamer, those in It were unable TO
find the missing passengers, and It was
supposed that they were drowned. But,
fortunately for them, the steamer people,
as soon as the accident was known, had
thrown out various things for them to
cling 10. A plank floated near them, and
by this they were able to keep themselves
from sinking. They were picked up on
the following day by vessel bound for
Malta, and carried to that port.
And thus II was that these long sepa'
rated lovers met at last! In tho darkness
OF night, on q plank In the stormy waters
Of the Mediterranean, they recognized
each other They were reunited, but
with no prospect before them hut Of a
speedy death in each others arms. Was
ii strange that the old love, which had
REstCd, not died, in their hearts, was re.
awakened, and thato finding themselves
once more possessed of life, they telt 1t
impossible 10 spend that life apartT AT
any rate, they were married soon after, in
the English chapel at Malta, and, having
passed the winter there for the benefit OF
The lady's health, which had suffered
greatly from the exposure she had under.
gone, they arc at present on their way
bone to America, And may all true
loves have an equally fortunate iSSueI