The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1874-09-11
A ROMANTIC STORY.
A Country Girl who Married tu Se-
eret aud Fell Heir to Two Millions
of DOllars-Twenty Years Of Weary


ar Delisrs-Twensy Years Of Weary
The Elmira IN. W Gazette. of August
2lst, says: Not long since there was pub
lished In the Gazette am allusion 10 ro-
nance which had for its home the village
Of Dundee, In Yates county. Since that
time new and important developments
have appeared In connection with that
story, and we are now enabled 10 lay be-
fore our readers something OF "A connected
narrative of the events limited at. The
story, I'm It's most barren statement OF facts,
Is one of strange and rare romance, which
will be followed with the greatest interest.
from the fact that the real denouement OF
the drama took place I'm this city, where
resides near relative of the lady who Is
the chief actor in it, Partly from this rel
atiye-Mrs. Charles Rowland-who re
sides at No. 457 East Water street, and
who is sister of the heroine in this ro-
nance, and partly from scraps published
In relation thereto, we gather the story of
Candace Talmadge, nee Bliven, substanti-
ally as follows
In 1855 gentleman of high birth and
great wealth i'm England came 10 this
country to travel for pleasure and TO study
the scenery and people of the New World.
A lover of nature in its most varied and
picturesque character, he spent some time
In Central New York. going about among
our beautiful lakes and tarrying upon
their highly cultivated shores. In these
rambles he came TO the quiet village of
Dundee. where he made home for come
time with a Baptist clergymen named
Currier. While there he fell into COM
panionship with the daughter of a we'll
TODD gentleman by the name of Bliven.
The girl was at that time sixteen years of
age, handsome, engaging and sensible.
The acquaintance soon ripened into sort
of romantic friendship, and at last the for
eigner, 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 di-
rect narrative is To the effect that the two
were united by Rev. Mr.. Currier, who
was pledged To secrecy concerning 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 10
any 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 i'm
due form as soon "a he should arrive, 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.. Cur
rier. the only person in America besides
the young wife who knew of the transac-
tson, 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
promise nor did any fidings, we under
stand, reach the ears of Candace concern
ing him. At last, in March last, we be-
lieve, through the instrumentality of a
personal advertisement in one of the New
York papers, the long silence was broken,
and tidings for which the Dundee bride.
now grown 10 almost middle age. had so
long waited. were received.
1t appears that the return OF Sir John
TO England without his American wife
was for the purpose of arranging matters
satisfactorily with his parents, who he
knew would be- indisposed TO receive his
bride If she were taken TO them without
prior knowledge of their sons step.
Shortly after his return home it happen
ed that while out 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 afiliction. however, he recover
ed partially, and in due time set out for
America TO reclaim his wife. As If adj
verse fate directed his every movement,
when he reached Liverpool he was taken
severely ill, and for long time he lay.
vacillating. as IL were, between life and
death. Though recovering, his illness
had so preyed on him that he became de-
mented. in which condition he lived all
these years, unable to make known the
object for which he was journe, ing when
sickness overlook him. In the latter part
of last winter sanity strangely returned TO
the afflicted man, but only for short i'm
terval before death relieved him of that
life which had been 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 i'm this country. willed his i'm
mense fortune of $4,000,0O0, half To the
brother and a 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 TO. the pur-
pose OF hunting up this wife.
In pursuance of these pledges. a mes
senger was, as early as possible after the
demise Of Sir John, dispatched to this
country with instructions to find the bride
by advertisement or by personal search.
The advertising was done as we have seen.
but the messenger, following the dircc-
tons given by the husband before death,
came from New York to Dundee soon
after landing. AT the latter place he found
the parents OF the lady, who directed him
to Elmira where she was then visiting
This was in the latter part of May last.
On arriving In this city the messenger in
quired for the residence of Charles Row
land. brother-in-law of the lady whom he
sought. lie repaired to that gentleman's
No. 457 East Water street.
where he found the long-waiting and long