The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1874-09-19
TIE STORY OF cAHDAcE BL1vEN.
A oouurRx CIR. WHO MARRIED IN SECRET AND FELL
HxIR to 81 100000.

T6E STORy OE CANOAC6 0AAv0
| 4 oousrax GIRL WHO xAaa1ED IN SECRET AND FELL
Hx1a to s., 100000.
In 1855 q gentleman of high birth
and great wealth in England came to
this country to travel for pleasure and
to study the scenery and people of the
New World. A lover of nature in it's
most varied and picturesque character,
| he spent some time in Central New
York, going about among our beauti-
full lakes and tarrying upon their high
shores. In these rambles
he came to the quiet village of Dundee,
where he made home for some time
with Baptist clergyman named Curri-
er. While there he fell into compan.
ionship with the daughter of a well.to-
do gentleman by the name of Bliven.
The girl was at that time l6 years of
age, handsome, engaging and sensible.
The acquaintance soon ripened into a
sort of romantic friendship, and at last
the foreigner, whom we may as well
designate by his proper name and title
Sir John Gordon Talmadge-offered his
hand to Candace, which was accepted.
The direct narrative is to the effect that
the two were united by the Rev. Mr.. Cur
rier, who was pledged to secrecy con-
corning the marriage for the term of
one year. The parents Of Candace
were not informed of the action of
their daughter, nor did the knowledge
of the secret marriage come to any one
of the villagers. Soon after the we'd
ding, Sir John left his young bride and
returned to his home across the water,
having promised to record the marriage
in due form as soon as he should ar
rive, and having additionally promised
that he would return within the year
and take his wife to England.
The year went past, and Sir John
did not come. Meantime, the Rev. Mr.
Currier, the only prison in America be-
sides the young wife who knew of the
transaction, died, and his secret died
with him Another year passed, and
five, then ten, almost twenty, and still
the waited-for husband did not return
to make good his promises. nor did any
tidings, we understand, reach the ears
Of Candace concerning him. At last,
in March last, we believe, through the
|instrumcntality Of n personal advertise
ment in one of the New York papers.
the long silence was broken, and ii
dings for which the Dundee bride. now
grown to almost middle age, had so
long waited, were received
1t appears that the return Of Cir
John to England without his American
wife was for the purpose Of arranging
matters satisfact rily with his parents.
who he knew would be indisposcd to
receive his bride if she were taken Ia
them without prior knowledge Of their
sons step Shortly after his return
home it happened that while ont riding
with his mother one day his horses took
fright, ran away, threw the two out.
killing his mother and very seriously
injuring Sir John. From this affection,
however, he recovered partially. and in
due time set out for America To reclaim
his wife. As if adverse fate directed
his every movement, when he reached
Liverpool he was taken severely i'll.
and for long time he lay vacllatng.
as it were, between life and death.
Though recovering, his illness had 80
preyed on him that he became dement,
ed. in which condition he lived all these
years, unable to make known the ob.
ject for which he was journeying when
sickness overlook him. In the latter
part Of last Winter sanity strangely re-
turned to the afflicted man, but only
for short interval before death re-
lieved him Of that life which had been
a burden. During this lucid interval
recollection Of his earlier life came
back to him, and the secret wife in
Dundee was uppermost in his thoughts.
He made known to his brother, now
Sir Alfred Talmadge. the true story Of
his marriage in this country, willed his
immense fortune Of 81 600, 900, half to
his brother and sister, and the other
half to his wife in case she might be
found alive. He further pledged his
brother to send special messenger to
America for the purpose Of hunting up
his wife.
T.