Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-02-28
Romance I'M Real Life.


| gentleman called in with friend to one Of
| our popular saloons, took a seat in the par
| lo-, and, enjoying a comfortable chair near
a good fire, called for a bottle OF wine. The
! proprietor of the establishment, also port
" and much younger man, was, at the
time, reading an entertaining work on the
subject Of cultivating the grape in Califor-
MIA, and, meditating asked himself Why
wines (that we are told scripturally are
good for the stomach, instead the high
wines that are bad for the head) are not
more generally used than they arei in 9TH
er words, why we cannot use the stimulant
that cheers without inebTiation, instead of
INDUCING in limitations Of old Bourbon, old
rye, etc.
The elderly gentleman, who We viii call
Mr.. A for the sake Of brevity, in bTuSque
way, bantered mine host with bet as to
his age, giving a latitude Of ten wears either
way. The latter replied, should take you
to be about siSty-five. He said, you have
lost the betj am eighty-three.
BirdbiIe dictU' considering the fresh ap-
pearance, the elastic step, and business
like way of saying, Excuse me, gentlemen,
| have some matters that must be attended
to; sorry to have to leave my friend; MIR. w.
will tell YOU few remarkable incidents in
my life. Splendid old gentleman, one of the
olden school; rich as Cie5us, with a heart
that swells out his large body-autoTatic
as a man gets to be when he orders thOus-
ands of men around-men who love him
for his worth, and are dependent on him
for their living and where these exists (aS
there always should) perfect understand
ing between the employer and employed.
Thus remarked his friend Mr.. W., when
Mr.. \. went out.
Mine host says, tell us something about
this old gentleman. He seems to be =
very remarkable and distinguished looking
man.
Friend W. proceeds with historical 70
nance:
About 55 years ago, a young man from
PENNSYLVANIA had occasion to visit New Or
leans. and being introduced into society
as aristocralic as could be found at that
time. as il is now, in any city on the CONT
nent. He was introduced to and became
fascinated with the beautiful and accom-
plished Miss DeM-, the cherished daugh-
ter Of a wealthy and influential French
family.
Tie cong Pennsylvania who at that
time mast have presented the appearance
of fin looking young man, succeeded IN
ingratigLing himselfin the esteem and con
6dence OF his newly formed acquaintance,
and in the sincerity Of his own, sought her
heart as we'll rs her hand, these were given
in the same measure that they were
received, and so did plighted faith cause
two true hearts to thrOb in union.
THEY were married, but without the sane
ton or wish Of Ter parents. The French
being an eminently proud ard polite people
the alliance that they did not at all desire
was tolerated by the lady's parents.
\ few months passed without any APP
parent trouble, when Mr.. A was called
upon to visit the North on business. He
was not long gone when he resolved
notification Of the death of his wife, TO him
very sad blow, and not having any afhlia-
tiOn with the family or friends when she
was then no more. concluded thathe would
not return 10 the scenes Of his former bliss,
thereby sasiHg her family and himself the
modification that must surely Gnsue from a
meeting irksome alike to both fsarties.
Time rolled on and Mr.. a. engaged in
manufacturing business at or near
Chicago, when his fortune seems to have
kept pace with tifs wonderful growth of
the koung Lake city inst Gs.Onished the
most progressive men of the present half
century: firmly established in a safe biIsi-
ness he found himself equal to any emer-
Cency when the cruel war broke ont, and
taking advantage of prevailing circum-
stances, bent his efforts to help his country,
and in doing so materially added to his
own wealth, so that at the close OF the war
be found himself one of the wealthy men
of Chicago. and, having married in the IN
term, the pOSseSsOr Of a devoted wife and
interesting family.
Mr. \. was again called to the Delta
City on business about the close OF the
war, and, one evening, in the st. Charles
Hotel. on the cOrrOdOr, met a lady who
Gazed at him and lie, mesmeTized with the
glance that had CENTRALIZED him when
young man, came forward and held the
hand of his first love. As is usual IN such
cases the lady tainted, and proper restora-
tives being administered, she listened TO
and tell the history of the past.
The sequel is soon told. MIS-. A
Mdslle DeM-nee did not die, but gave
birth to a son. During the absence of her
husband her FAMILY conceived the idea OF
separating them, in order to do which the
rrlse OF reporting hcF dead was reSorted to.
That proved to be a success so far as i'm
posing on the husband was concerned
cruel in the extreme TO both parties-aIl-
other instance when love and happiness are
sacrificed to pride Of birth and fortune.
She did not marry again, but attended to
the education Of her son, who, when the
war broke out, took up arms in defense OF
the South.
Mr.. A, satisfied that his wife was
dead, married again and was the father of
a family by his second wife, when the I'M
looked-for meeting took place.
Denoument.-An elegant mansion in
beautifully selected spot, in which resides
the first love and first wife, who is visited
each summer by Mr. A and second
wife. Peace and harmony reigns, and
pIenty adds her conducepia- The son first
horn to him, was taken by his father to
Chicago, and is now business manager at
the extensive works Of our pOrtly friend,
while the paterfamilias dispenses his prince
IN Inequalities to his innuInerable friends
at his palatial residence in Chicago, near
the close Of a long and prosperous life OF
usefulness. May they live long and pros