Chariton courier. (Keytesville, Chariton County, Mo.) 1878-current, 1879-03-29
BAYARD TAYLOR.
His Native Observation-Disclosures of Hi
Youth-His Marriage to Mary Agnew.

His Native observation-disclosures of His
Youth-His Marriage to Mary Agnew.
A correspondence the Chicago Times,
writing from Kennett Square, Penn,
says:
Any one inquiriDg for particulars con-
cerning Bayard Taylor's boyhood in
this town would be invariably referred
to one who is known, familiarly as q
household word, as Samuel Martin.
Mr.. Martin is, probably, the oldest sur
viving school-teacher in Chester Coun-
ty. Mr.. Martin, who is Quaker now
in his 77th year, came into the neigh
borhood and taught his first public
school about mile south of Kennett in
1928.
While Bayard Taylor, the smart,
promising boy in his teens, was win
ming laurels right and left in school and
literary societies among the people of
Kennett and the surrounding country,
there was one in the same neighborhood
who was his equal in talent. This was
Mary Agnew. She was the only daugh-
ter of well. to-do farmer. People who
knew her unite one and all in her praise
for brightness and amiability. Samuel
Martin, having shown me Bayard Tay-
lor's name in his antique day-book, took
up another not less aged, and turning
the time worn pages came to Mary Ag-
new. Glancing at the head. of the page
The date showed May, 1843." Sam
uel Martins eyes grew dim behind his
glasses as he pointed to her name.
"Mary was my smartest pupil" he
said. I" Yes, she was as smart, as tai
ented, as Bayard Taylor. Those two
those TWO were the brightest pupils I
ever had. Bayard was quiet, studious
boy. Mary was sweet, modest little
girl, as amiable child as ever lived.
She first began to come to my school
after started the academy in the town.
The date, as you see, is 1913. Mary
was then Is or 16 years of age.'
The tastes of Bayard Taylor and Mary
Agnew being so similar they naturally
became fond of each other. 1t was at
the literary society that their equality of
intellect and inclination became more
manifest. Bayard was apt at writing
compositions. So was Mary. Bayard
was passionately fond of reading. So
was Mary. On occasions when the two
would read essays or compositions at
the literary society on the same night,
the judges would be puzzled to know
how to decide. Often the dilemma
would end in the declaration that it was
a tie. People could not make differ
ence between them. Mary was regard
ed as a prodigy of her sex, as Bayard
was of his. Every body liked Mary
Agnew, as every body liked Bayard
Taylor.
Bayard was about two years older
than Mary. As they grew they were
more and more in each others society.
People began to smile and prophesy a
match, and this prophecy came true.
Before Bayard Taylor, at the age of
about 10, set out on his memorable trip
to Europe, of which ss Views Afoot - is
one of the results, they became engaged.
Bayard was absent for about three
years. During that time the young
lovers corresponded regularly. Mary
continued at school in Kennett, distin-
gushing herself more and more as time
passed. When Bayard Taylor returned
from Europe, reassured and more con-
fident than ever of success from his in
creased popularity, calls to lecture be-
gan to flow in. Among the first of
these was one from West Chester. Bay
ard, upon his return, had gone direct to
his home at Kennett, where he had been
received with an enthusiasm nothing
short of on ovation. Among the proud
est and happiest of those who greeted
him was his betrothed, Mary Agnew.
1t happened that the night appointed
for the lecture at West Chester was cold
and wet. Bayard took Mary with him.
The distance is about II miles over
country roads. During the trip Mary
caught cold. Nothing serious was
thought of it at the time. In a few days,
however, there was hacking cough,
and the literary entertainments and So
cial gatherings of the neighborhood, in
which Mary Agnew had always been
one of the brightest attractions, began
to see her less and less. The bright,
amiable child of Kennett Square, when
her name was mentioned by the neigh
bors, now was mentioned with q
sorrowful shake of the head as "Poor
Mary Agnew;" and not unfrequently in
the same breath would be heard the ex-
preston, "Poor Bayard." Even the
old church where Mary Agnew's face
had been known from childhood began
to know her no more. Consumption
had begun its work from the first slight
cold when she went to hear her lovers
lecture. At length Mary Agnew took
to her bed, and never rose from it again.
At her own request she and Bayard were
united in marriage a few days before
she died. That was 90 years ago. In
Kennett Square to-day Mary Agnew's
name is as familiar as Bayard Taylor's.
All who speak Of her even now speak OF
her in tones of reverence. There was
so much about her that was lovable that
at the time of her death there was grief
among the neighbors as though she had
been a member of their own family.
1t is said Bayard Taylor has never
been quite the same since she died.
For months he was almost broken
hearted. A poem, published afterward,
under the title of the "Desolate Hearth, )"
is said to have portrayed his feelings
over his loss more than any thing else
he has ever written or uttered.
SIDE BY SIDE WITH MARY AGNEw.
Yesterday in Longwood Cemetery, the
grave-diggers threw out the last shovel
ful of earth in the grave which is to re-
ceive Bayard Taylor's remains. Directly
beside this grave is another grave, with
two plain tombstones and the green
leaves of nicely trimmed lockwood
plants running around its edges. On
the marble headstone is this inscription:
In Memory of
D,ob+ar Of John and lydia Asnew