Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-05-15
A ROMANTIC STORY.

Joseph Morse, of Stroudsburg, Pa,
made $4,000 in 1850 out of q con-
tract on the Delaware, Lackawana and
Western railway, which was then con-
structing. He removed to this place
and purchased a fine residence. His
family consisted of his wife and two
daughters. His wife's maiden name
was Coffin. She was n member of Il
prominent New Jersey family. and
had two younger sisters. Mr.. Morse
gave both of his daughters fine edu-
cation. Frances was graduate of
Seward institute, of Florida, this coun-
ty, n school founded by the father of
the late Secretary Seward, and which
has always been conducted by mem
bers of that family. Miss Morse was
fine musician and lipguist. After
returning home from school she became
n contributor to New York periodicals.
While Mt school, she, with her thought
less companions, inserted an advertise
ment in n New York newspaper solic-
iting correspondence with some gen
tlemen, with view to matrimony.
The advertisement was answered by
+. |. jerks, of Boston. A CORES
pondence was carried on between Miss
Morse and jerks for some time, aud
finally they became engaged without
ever having seen each other
Some time after the Morse family
came to Port Jervis, Mrs. Morse died.
Her husband subsequently, married
one of her sisters. In 1854, after
Frances returned from school, her he-
trothed husband came on from Boston
to see her. She disliked him rs soon
rs she saw him. Her stepmother, how
ever, fancied the young man, aad
through her influence Frances was IN
duced to reconsider n determination
she had made to break off her engage
ment, and she and jerks were mar
ried. They went to Boston. Mrs.
jerks remained in that city only Il
short time, as she and her husband
did not live happily together. Jenks
came TO Port Jcrvis subsequently and
lived with his wife for six months,
when u separation was agreed upon
between them, and jerks went away.
Meantime, Morse had ,quandered his
fortune. During n severe illness about
this time Mrs. jerks took rs medicine
large quantities of opium. When she
recovered she accepted position as
teacher in one of the New York schools.
1t was there that she discovered that
she had acquired the opium habit.
She became such n slave to the habit
that she was compelled to give up her
situation in New York. In 1853 her
stepmother died, and her father after
ward married the remaing one of the
three Coffin sisters. Mrs. jerks grad
ually obtained control of her appetite
for opium. In 1864 her father took
the contract for building the Hawley
branch of the Erie railway and remov-
ed from Port Jervis to Hawley. There
Mrs. jerks married man named Me-
Ray, and the two removed to Connec-
ticut. 1t does not appear whether n
divorce was ever obtained in the first
marriage. McRay died a year or two
afterwards. Morse somewhat repaired
his fortune by the Hawley contract,
and removed to st. Louis in 1860,
where he amassed large fortune, and
where, it is said, he still resides. His
widowed daughter joined him in that
city, and by her accomplishments and
beauty, took prominent place in So
ciety.
The Morses, in 1868, spent the
summer at Saratoga. The young Wild
ow captured young Southerner nam
ed George 5. Henry, who was also
staying at the springs. She married
him, and they took up their residence
on his plantation near New Orleans.
They lived there happily for three
years, when Henry died. After he
died it was found that his affairs were
in such shape that his wife and child
would be left pennilcss. The child
died soon Afterwards, and Mrs Henry
fell soon afterwards into her old opium
eating habit She came to New York
city. Friends aided her in securing
work on the press. The habit of
opium-eating grew on her, and she
was finally compelled to cease writing.
She then engaged in dress-makiug
From that time her friends in this
place lost trace of her. A few days
ago it was announced in one of the
morning pupers that Mrs. Henry had
died at No. IL Clinton Place, and that
she had been so addicted to use of
opium that she required from four to
five ounces of laudanum day. This
unfortunate woman proved to be the
former society belle at Port Jervis,
Frances Morse.