Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1874-06-12
A Congressional Romance.

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A Congressional Romance.
There is romance enough about the
late marriage of the Hon. Omar D. Con-
ger, of Michigan, and Mrs. Sibley to fit
out halfdozen younger couples. BY
the side of it the Grant-Sartoris affair
sinks into insignifcance. There was
Conger who twenty y-seven years ago was
poor lad in Milan, Ohio, struggling
with algebraic problems and cube roots
In the Huron Institute. But, notwith-
standing he grappled so bravely with
these tough and tiresome studies, he had
a susceptible heart, and so, when his eyes
fell upon the beautiful Miss Humphreys,
then reigning belle in that partof Ohio,
he hauled down his colors at once, and
surrendered unconditionally. The young
In short time they were engaged and
happy. But dark clouds will come, and
sometimes they get between two hearts
and so obscure the vision that neither
can discern the other. So it was here.
In those days young ladies were given to
queer pastime called flirting, happily
done away with in these better times.
Miss Humphreys was addicted to this
kind of amusement, and she followed it
faithfully, Notwithstanding her engage
ment. Mr.. Conger objected, quarrel en-
sued, and the match was broken off.
Afterward it was renewed, but the
young man protested once more
at the conduct of his f0ncee, and they
finally cried quits for good. In the full
belief, no doubt, that his life was blasted,
and that he had nothing to hope for ex-
cept an early death, Mr.. Conger rushed
out into the wilderness with surveying
party, and for three years carried the
chain in the mineral regions OF Lake Su-
perior. Then he wandered to Port HUI
ron, Mich, and, astonished to find that
he still lived, concluded to settle down to
the practice of the law. He did SO, and
succeeded. Not long after, he felt anew
the touch of Cupid, and soon surrendered
himself second time to a new love, and
was married. In the meantime Miss
Humphreys had also found another on
whom to bestow her affections and had
married Maj. Sibley, of the United
States army. After this the young people,
who had until now watched each others
movements, lost sight of each other alto
gether. Mr.. Conger rose in his practice,
was elected Judge, State Senator, and
finally, in 1868, was elected to Congress,
where he has since remained. A few
years after his marriage his wife died,
and he did not marry again, but devoted
HIMSELF to his children. This, in brief, is
Mr. Conger's history.
Mrs. Sibley had gone out upon the
ocean of life in a different direction and
had become an accomplished lady o.
society. Twelve years after her marriage
her husband died. Childless and lonely
the widow left for Europe, and after a
lengthy stay upon the Continent returned
a short time ago, landing at New York.
She was preparing to proceed to her old
home in Ohio, when she took strange
fancy to visit Washington. She went, and
for several days amused herself in RAM
bles about the capital. One day she was
sitting listlessly in the House gallery,
watching the restless swaying of political
wisdom on the floor, when member on
the left of the Speaker arose and ad-
dressed the House. Through all the con-
fusion, the clapping of hands and MUIR
mur of hundreds of voices, the words OF
the speaker came clear and distinct to
her. There was something in the tones
strangely familiar, and they came as if
reminding her of dream long since for
gotten. Then she gained view of the
speaker, and started as she recognized his
features. After all these long years, there
she was gazing upon the face and
listening to the voice of him who had
become as one dead to her. 1t was
strange experience, but it brought her no
comfort She had heard that Mr.. Con-
ger was married years ago. and to see
Iri QI
than painful recollections. She would
depart and make no sign. But this was
not to be. Mr.. Conger had heard that
Mrs. Sibley was in Washington, and it
was not long before he recognized her in
the gallery. He disappeared from the
floor. and while she was revolving the
queer circumstances that brought them
once more under the same roof she felt
a light touch upon her arm, and looking
up beheld him before her. Their hearty
greetings over, both became embarrassed.
Each tried to appear altogether obllvlous
of the past, and each most signally failed.
To add little poetry
We cannot kill the past somehow
We cannot shut the door
That hangs between what we are now
And what we were before.
The rest shall not be known.
Except that with weary tread
We walk our ways alone.
Atlast Mrs. Sibley rose to go. She would
be glad to see Mr.. Conger at the Airing
ton, and also his wife and family. She
supposed they were with him, of course
Then came the explanation, and Mr..
Conger promised to call on one condi-
ton. "Name it." said the lady. That
you take back what you uttered twenty
seven years ago." replied he. take It
back she faltered, and then "skooted'
out of the gallery, as Gen. @ sherman
would say, to hide the happy tears that
sprung to her eyes as she said it. And
then Mr.. Conger went back to his seat
with wonderful flow Of spirits, and
looking as if his fifty-and-five years were
but five -and-twenty. The other day there
was a quiet, happy wedding in Washing
ton, and Mrs. Sibley and Mr.. Conger
played the principal characters.
So ends the story, and 1t is a pretty
GOOD one. notwithstanding it is true
Chicago Inter Ocean.