Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1874-06-18
WHOLE NO. 1880.
A Congressional Romance.

| A romance in high life Is reported
in connection with the recent mar
riage of Congressman Cougar, Of
Michigan. Twenty years ago he
was a poor boy, working his own
way through q school at Milan, Ohio,
where he fell in love with Miss
Humphreys, roigning belle of that
section, and the two we're engaged
But filtration came between them,
and Encouragement was broken. In
the full belief that existence was
blasted and that he had nothing left
to live for, Mr.. Cougar rushed out
into the wilderness with a surveying
party, and for three years carried the
chain through the mineral regions of
Lake Superior. Then he wandered
to Port Huron, Michigan, and, aston
ished to find that he still survived,
concluded to settle down to the prac-
tice of law. He did so and succeed
ed. Not long after, he felt anew the
touch of Cupid, and soon surrendered
himself to q new love, and was mar
ried. In the meantime Miss Hum
phreys had also found another on
whom to bestow her affections, and
had married Major Sibley, of the
United States army. After this the
young people, who had until now
watched each others movements,
lost sight of each other altogether
Mr.. Conger rose in his practice, was
elected Judge, State Senator, and
finally, in 1868, was elected to Con-
gress, where be has since remained
A few years after his marriage his
wife died, and he did not marry
again, but devoted himself to his
children. Meantime Mrs. Sibley had
gone out upon the ocean of life in a
different direction, and had become
an accomplished lady of society.
Twelve years after her marriage her
husband died. Childless and lonely,
the widow left for Europe, and after
lengthy stay upon the Continent
returned short time ago, landing at
New York She was preparing to
proceed to her old homo in Ohio,
when she took a strange fancy to
visit Washington. She went, and
for several days amused herself in
rambles about the capital One day
she was sitting listlessIy in the House
gallery, watching the restless sway
ing of political wisdom on the floor,
when member on the left of the
Speaker arose and addressed the
House. There was something in the
tones strangely familiar, and they
came as if reminding her of dream
long since forgotten. Then she gain
ed 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 o strange
experience, but it brought her no
comfort. She had heard that Mr..
Conger was married years ago, and
to see him now again could bring
little else than painful recollootions.
She would depart and make no sign.
But this was not to be. Mr.. CoDger
had heard that Mrs. Sibley was in
Washington, and it was not long be
fore be 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 light touch upon her arm, and
looking up beheld him before her.
Their hearty greetings over, both be-
came embarrassed. Bach tried to
appear oblivious of the past, and
each most signally failed. At last
Mrs. Sibley rose to go. She would
be glad to see Mr.. Conger at the Ar
Iington, 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 condition. "Name it," said the
lady. "That you take back what
you uttered twenty-seven years ago."
replied he. IL take it back" she fall
tered, and then "skooted," as Gen.
Sherman would say, out of the gal
lsry, to hide the happy tears that
sprang 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 five-and.
fifty years were but fve-and-twenty.
The other day there was a quiet, hap
by wedding in Washington, and Mrs
Sibley and Mr.. Conger played the
principal characters.