Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1873-05-24
A TALE OF OLDEN TIMES.
INTERESTING "REMINISCENCES
OF SIEPHERDSTOWN.
Wriiten for the ShsphsrdstODn Register.

lc StNClc VI 1C-- ASN'''
the writer at Harper's Ferry on a visit
to his relatives and friends. Deep
SHOWS, northwesterly winds, and the
ice bound Potomac completely shut us
in from the outside world. How to
while away the day, hearing nothing
but the bowling of the winds, and the
melancholy music of the spheres was
rather a tedious business but our long
winter nights were very different as we
spent them merrily in dancing around
at the neighbors houses after the violin
of lett-handed fiddler we'll known as
Uncle Rippon, accompanied by IA
nous tifer equally known as Yates
Jack. These two formed our dancing
band, and we did not contend that 1t
was in every respect equal i'll melody
and measure to that of the Grand Duke
of Baden, {said to be the finest in Eu-
rope still it was up to our asperalions
as we could reel to it, jig to it, shuttle to
it, and pigeon-wing to it, to our hearts
content. We cared not a straw about
Fannie Essler, Taglioni, the Nestries,
Madame Sagni Of the Paris Hippo
drome, or how they danced. The diff
fereuce between us being, that they
danced for the amusement of emperors
and kings, and we danced for the
amusement of ourselves-a much hap
pier people. Our company in point OF
numbers was not large, consisting OF
about eight couple, and among them
was sprightly, innocent, pretty little
girl from Shepherdstown, who was on
a visit to the daughters of ''mine host
of Graham's hotet. Little Annie, for
that was her name, was very popular,
and quite favorite with us all.
Early in February the weather began
to moderate, and the stages again re-
sumed their daily trips. This enabled
the writer, after bidding goodbye to
all, and wishing Annie ''health, happi-
ness, a rich aud handsome husband" to
take passage for his home in Baltimore:
The roads were almost impossible and
we were nearly two days in getting
there.
The scene was now changed ; moth
ing more was thought about the ''cold
spell" of the month spent at the Ferry,
until some time during the summer,
now fifty years since, when the writer
received the following letter, dated at
Shepherdstown,t from Annies mother =
"Mr. W-,-Dear Sir Il am in
deep distress, and as have often heard
my daughter speak of you, take the lib
erty of writing by the hands Of Mr.. S,
to beg the favor of you to aid him.
''Soon after Annie returned from the
Ferry she become acquainted with a
young man who had just settled here.
Last Tuesday they were married and
are now in Baltimore. They had hard
ly left here before l received the dis
tressing news that her husband had an
other wife living on the Eastern Shore
of Maryland. My friend, Mr.. s., will
tell you all. Do my kind sir, help him
to find my daughter and have her re-
turned to distressed mother. c."
After receiving this letter we started
in pursuit of Annie and her deceiver
After inquiring at many hotels we
found their names registered at the
Wheat Field Inn, on Howard Street.
We arranged that the writer should go
alone to her parlor. Announcing the
name at her room door the guilty hus-
band In haste passed out, land he needed
not her call to him to come back and
be introduced to friend.
The innocent, unsuspecting little ere
ature was evidently alarmed at the con-
duct of her husband and the looks and
confusion of the writer The color of
her face alternated every second from
pale to red. She gave me her hand,
pointed to a chair, and began to make
apologies for the abrupt exit of her
dear husband" The writer paused for
a moment, told her Mr.. S. was below
stairs, then placed i'll her hand the letter
She was sitting on the sofa and com
menced reading it; when nearly through
she began 10 tremble, leaned back on
her arm, gave deep sigh and then such
a wild unearthly scream-I hear it yet
AS never escaped the lips of SO deli
cate being before. Mr.. S. aud the
writer did all they could to quiet her,
but could not, as his abserce nearly the
whole day was positive proof of bis
guilt. In this state of phrensy she con-
tinued until We had her seated by the
side of Mr.. S. in the Frederick-town
stage on her way to her mothers home.
Arriving at Shepherdstown she receiy-
ed the sympathy of her friends. But
her stay there was short, as she disap-
peared-and forever.
Time rolled on and all remembrance
flittle Annie had faded away. Years
afterwards the writer started on his first
trip to see the great West. At Wheel
ing on the 9th February, 1884, he took
berth in the fine steamer "Protector,
bound for New Orleans. Our first stop
ping place of importance was Cincin-
natl, where we landed early in the
morning. We were then informed by
our captain, the noble and kind hearted
Hagarty, that our steamer would be de-
tanned in port for the whole day. This
suited the writer in every respect as his
trip was purely to see the great West to
its best advantage. And where could
we better begin in spending the day
walking around Cincinnati, its most i'm
portant city.
We sauntered around until breakfast
was over in the steamer. Not wishing
to do without, the writer went to Crom-
wells Hotel, and called for a warm