Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1874-03-06
4 ROMANCE OF THE WHITE
HOUSE.

!
| fame, fell in love with beautiful
young lady of Baltimore, and his love
being reciprocated, an engagement en-
| sued
The mother of the young lady, how
ever, did not view the engagement
with satisfaction or pleasure. Indeed,
she heartily disapplov of it, for the
young lawyer was altogether too poor
and obscure to marry into one of the
wealthiest and most aristocratic of Bal
| timore families. This, at least, was
the opinion of the young girls mother,
who, being very ambitious and CORES
pondingly proud, desired that her
daughter should wed some person
prominent either in this or some other
| country.
She brought all her influence to
bear upon the girl, and did all she
possibly could to induce her to give
up her lover, but failing she resorted
AS mothers have done before-to de-
ception and other contemplate means
to break Off the engagement. Letters
were intercepted, handwriting initiated,
servants bribed and falsehoods circu-
lated promiscuously. The natural and
| inevitable result was that misunder-
standing arose between the betrothed
for which neither in reality was re-
sponsible. One day the lawyer receiy-
ed q note written in the handwriting
of his .fancee, accompanied by packet
OF letters and box of trinkets. The
note stated that the writer had, upon
careful consideration and thought, de-
cided that she did not love him as a
woman about to be his wife should,
and for this and other reasons begged
to be released from her engagement
The blow was hard one, and for n
long time the lawyer felt the effects
acutely. Under the impression that he
had been Tilted because he was poor
and unknown, he determined to become
rich and famous, and forthwith COM
menced his "noble life" How well he
succeeded the nation knows, for il
154 he was made Secretary Of State,
Minister to England, and a few years
later was elected President OF the
United States.
Meanwhile his first love married a
very rich merchant of Philadelphia,
much against her own will and only ut
the earnest and repeated solicitations
OF her mother. The marriage was not
a happy one, for the wife neither loved
nor respected he husband Her cup
of bitterness was full when she heard
Of the election of her lover as Presi-
dent, and her mothers cup was quite
overfowing. She plunged into social
dissipation in the hope of forgetting
her sorrows. For two or three seasons
she was the talk of the Quaker City,
where she went to reside with her hus-
band, and where their first child was
born. Her entertainments were of un-
usual elegance, her costumes lnarvels
of richness and beauty, and her equip
age the finest ever seen on Walnut
street.
By and by scandal circulated about
her. Mrs. Grundy said she neglected
her family, and slanderors!y accused
her of transferring her affections to
gentleman who is now United States
Minister at a European city. One by
one her friends fell off, and ultimately
she was snubbed most directly and re-
peatedly. She left her husband and
went home to her mother in Baltimore,
where in few months she died of con-
sumption, brought on by excessive and
protracted dissipation. Her cruel and
unnatural mother never ceased to l,e-
rate and upbraid her for not marrying
the lawyer, when she herself, by inter
cepting and forging letters, broke off
the match. Her last hours were spent
in religious exercise, and it is related
that she wrote to her true and faithful
lover, who, when she died, was an Ex-
President, James Buchanan, asking
forgiveness, and stating that she had
never ceased to love him with all her
heart and soul
This most romantic story is vouched
for by reliable parties as true in every
~ OF
SONS all the names are omitted. Tie
story has moral, and there are many
women in society to-day who had best
apply it. Truth, indeed, is stranger
than fiction.
The Princeton Disaster.
The steamer Princeton was bound
up the Potomac on tie morning of
February 2Sth, 1914, having on board
a large number of people, including
President John Tyler, his cabinet, i,
large number Of Senators, Eeprcsen-
tatlyes and distinguished citizens,
many with their wives and daughters.
The occasion was 4 Jotc given by Capt.
Stockton, the Princeton having Just
shipped the largest gun then known,
"the Peacemaker. which carried IA
solid shot weighing 90 lbs. AS Alex
andria came i'll view, Capt. Stockton
said privately TO the President and
Cabinet that "ne would fire {; parting
,alute from the Peacemaker III honor
of George Washington. the great
peacemaker of his counts-." and for
their particular qualification. as the
gun was al experiment i'll the ma
chinery of death, aud great curiosity
prevailed with regard to its character.
The President and party started up the
cabin stairs when the President was re-
called to heara toastproposed by young
lady, then well known, Miss Wickliffe,
who gave the sentiment, "The Flag OF
America : the only thing that Is Ameri-
re.aTy Of State. Mr.. y, shur (Val had
when he was again urged 10 the dec7-
that lie might witness the firing. bit
the announcement ct a national s.ug
detalued Mr.. Tyler, auu UpsIur wcut |
OH deck alone. As the name ~ 81 .
ington'' vas pronounced by tic i.-c- /
er, loud came the report Of tic gun,
ard i'll the midst of the e1citen1 ent, !
tic inaater of ceremonies called for |
tLrce cheers. Before voice could |
nitcr a responsive shout, the boat !
swain , .na;o rushed in:o the cabin, |
black with powder and blood dripping
from his garments, ezclaimiag IL |
broken sentences that the gun had ex-
ploded and killed everybody on deck !
The cries of wives, whose husbands |
had been at their side n moment be- |
fore, the shrieks of daughters for their
fathers, the rushing of men, and faint
ing OF women. the trembling of the
ship and the cloud of smoke that en-
the vessel above and below
without and within, combined to pro-
duce scene almost indescribable or
it's pain and horror. When the smoke
had risen, the lower part of the gun
lay upon the lifeless, pleading body of
the Secretary of State, who expired be-
fore he could be Saken from its tram
mels. Gen. Gilmes of Virginia, lay sense
less beside MIR. Upshur, and also ex-
pired before ally assistance could be
rendered him Virgil Maxcy, of Mary /
land, was hrribly mutilated and had
died instal.ly. Col Gardiner, a mem 1