The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1873-05-01
A OMANCE REAL LIFE.

That truth is stranger than fiction every
body KNOWS But real life is not merely
more straBge-it Is often more romantic |
than anything invented by the romance
writer's. An instance of this has recent !
ly occurred within our knowledge, and |
the announcement of the story is so |
pleasant that | cannot refrain from Civ /
Ing 1t to your readers. [ can vouch for .
Its correctness, as one, at least, of the |
parties concerned is We'll known to me
About ten years ago a wealthy mer-
chant OF this city, having an only child,
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 a country home among the hills of |
Vermont The young lady recovered her
health but she lost her heart She made
the acquaintance of young man named
C., farmers son, intelligent and
well educated. but a working machinist.
The young people became warmly attach
ed to each other, and entered into an en-
gagement conditional on the consent of
the lady's father But the latter had
more ambitious views for his daughter
and, when the young machinist present
ed himself as her suitor, he was treated
with very little ceremony; was, in fact.
dismissed by her father 10 manner too
offensive that pride forbade him to make
any further advances. He went West,
and entered into business in St. Louis.
Having plenty of talent, energy. and
character, he was successful, soon had
large establishment of his own, and has
accumulated a handsome fortune. All
sorbed in business, aud in the various
occupations of man Of prominence and
influence, he had doubtless outgrown his
| early disappointment in love but he
had formed no other attachment, and re-
manned unmarrid
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 She was III
possession of modest fortune, and, her
parents having died in this interval,
there was nothing to call her back to
Boston. Up to September of last year
this was the position Of affairs between
| these two. With each, the brief romance
OF their early youth had faded into the
memory Of tender dream, ard nothing
could have seemed less likely than the
| occurrence OF any event which should re-
unite their sundered lives.
| However, it SO fell out that the re-
quirements of Mr.. G-'s business
took him last year to Europe, and he re-
manned abroad several months. One
evening, late in September, he was on
board little steamer going from Mar
settles to Leghorn, when there came up
one OF the sudden storms for which those
waters are unpleasantly noted. 1t was
very rough. but no danger was anticipat-
ed. Mr.. C. sat on deck watching
the storm; and many other passengers,
among them several ladies, were doing
the same. One of the latter had risen
from her seat to go below, and was stand
ing In an unguarded attitude, when, the
steamer giving violent lurch, she lost
her balance and was thrown overheard
]
| Mr.. - saw the mishap, and Instant
| y leaped after her into the sea. He was
fortunate enough to find and support
her but it was dark. the sea running
high, and, though boat was quick,
| Sent out by the people on tire steamer,
those IN II were unable to find the miss
ing passengers. and it was sur posed 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 to
A plank hoated near them, and by this
they were able to keep themselves from
sinking. They were picked up on the
follnwing day by vessel bound for NAL
ia, and carried to that port.
And thus it was that these long sep
Grated lovers met at last In the dark
ness of night, on plank in the stormy
waters of the Mediterranean. they recog-
nized each other! They were reunited
but with no prospect before them but of
a speedy death in each others arms.
Was it strange that the old love, which
had abated, not died, in their hearts, was
reawakened, and that on finding them
selves, once more possessed of life, they
felt it impossible to spent that live apart
At any rate. they were married soon al
ter 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 undergone, they are at present on
their way home to America. And may |
all true loves meet an equally fortunate is |
suei-Boston Cor. Chicago Tribune.