St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1879-10-18
HOW AN ALABAMA COMMUNITY WAS
IMPOSED ON, AND TWO FAMILIES
PLUNGED INTO DISTEESS-A
HAPPY MARRIAGE RUDE

Correspondence Cincinnati Colnmcriaii
ElEMINGHAM, Ala, September 81,
1S19.-One OF the many evils which
characterized the institution of slavery
has Just been illustrated in d remarka-
bic divorce suit in an adjoining county.
The facts in this remarkable case would
form excellent groundwork for a first
class romance. In quiet, sober COM
munity like this, such al occurrence is
so unusual and extraordinary that many
people were thrown into a state OF con,
fusion worse than that which scattered
the tribes at the Tower OF Babel.
During the late war, about the year
1868, a well-to-dO family, consisting OF
husband, wife and child, q daughter
about four years OF age, settled ln
Walker county. They stated that on
armies on the North Carolina coast,
to seek u home elsewhere, and when
they started from their North Carol ina
home Texas was their destination, but
upon reaching Walker county, in TINS
State, they found it to be retired,
peaceable and prosperous community,
and hence they concluded to settle
down there. In addition to the family
John II. Reynolds, wife and daughter,
as already stated-there were several
slaves. Among the latter was q hand
some 1uadroon young woman, who was
the maid of all work for the family.
She was kindly treated, however, and
most of her time was occupied III caring
for Mrs. Reynolds, who was an invalid.
After the war closed Mr.. Reynolds
concluded to remain in Walker county,
us he had secured q good farm, and was
in fair circumstances considering the
losses entailed upon Southern men.
When Mr.. Reynolds lived in North
Carolina one OF his warmest and truest
friends was neighbor by the name OF
Henry Horton, who was also a farmer
we'll do, and possessing traits which
render neighbors much attached: The
great desire of Reynolds was to induce
Ills old friend and neigh Dor to sell out
his possessions in North Carolina and
remove to Walker county, to assume
the same relations he occupied in former
days. Reynolds addressed many warm,
gushing letters to Horton, describing
the beauties, the riches and bright pros
meets Of Walker county. There was a
farm near him that would suit Horton
exactly, and if the latter did not have
enough money to purchase It, Reynolds
would assist him. Finally H"rton
yielded to the opportunities of his ola
friend, sold out Ills property in North
Carolina, and with his wife and son
removed to Walker county, where he
nTchased a farm a short distance from
where Reynolds resided. Being thus
settled down once more as nei ghbors
and friends, things went smoothly and
Drosperity smiled upon the Two houses.
Mark Horton, the son, and Jessie Key
nolds, the daughter, went to school to-
ycthcr in the neighboring village, and
as the wears wore Oh they grew up to
manhood and womanho0d strongly at
faciled to each other, a fact which gave
the greatest satisfaction to Reynolds.
His wife had died about the time the
war closed, and his daughter being his
only child, retained all his affection, and
he jaytshed upon her every luxury the
heart coulG wish. The qlaGroon wO-
man remained with the family, while
the other slaves scattered ana touDd
new homes when the close u Tue war
brought their freedom.
When the time came for Jessie Rey-
nolds to quit the village school and
finish her education at college, her
father sought an interview with Mr..
Horton, and lost no time in broachlng
the subject of the future marriage of
Mark Horton and his daughter. He
reminded the old man Of the many years,
friendship that had existed between
them, and how happy he would be to
have the son of his dear friend and
reighbor wed his only daughter, who
had now grown into q beautiful young
lady, the belle of the country for miles
around, the envy of all the other young
ladies thereabouts, and the most popu-
lar girl to be found in the country. Afr.
Horton liked Jessie, and so informed
her father. But he thought her and his
son too young just then to enter into
matrimony. He desired his son tomake
mark i'm .tle world before marrying.
1t was finally agreed, however, that
Jessie should 60 to college a year, and
Mark should do the same. Upon their
return should they desire to marry the
parents would'interpose no objections.
The young people were sent to college
one In Kentucky and the other in New
Jersey. When they returned from their
collegiate studies they became infat-
uated with each other on sight. Three
months thereafter there was wedding
at the Reynolds mansion, which proved
10 UG OuC vi tiiC Sfaudi@A uHttaAo VI oiS
kind that had ever been witnessed in
Cat section. The loving pair were
made man and wife under the happiest
and most promising auspices. Each was
heir to O. comfortable home and good
income. All the neighbors thought that
this match was the most appropriate
they had known, and every body pre-
dicted happiness and prosperity to the
newly married pair. The father OF
Mark presented him a nice farm, and
the father of Jessie had o splendid
residence built for them. After bril-
liant honeymoon, Mark Horton and his
beautiful young wife concluded to settle
down on the farm which had been given
them, and Mark determined to adopt
farming as his business. Here all went
merry aS a marriage bell. Prosperity
smiled upon them, and in due time a
son was born unto them--an event which
was ceIebgStad with great eclat, and
which brought unusual joy to the par
ents. In the midst of all, this. happy
condition of things tie whole nelghbor-
hood was thrown into q state Of utter
confusion by the report that Mark Hor--
ton had separated from his wife, and
that he had filed bill for divorce, al
leging that fraud had been pefpetrated
upon him in the marriage that his wife
had negro blood in her veins, and that,