Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1879-10-16
The Sturg Teller.
A SOUTHERN ROMANCE.

wife and child, q daughter ABOUT 1our years
of age, settled in Walker county, Ala. They
stated that on account of the operations OF
the two armies on the North Carolina coast,
where they resided, they were forced to seek
a home elsewhere, and when they started from
their North Carolina home, Texas was their
destination, but upon reaching Walker coun.
ty, in that State, they found it to be a retired,
peaceable and prosperous community and
hence they concluded to settle down there
In addition to the family-Jno. H. Reynolds,
wife and daughter, as already stated-there
were several slaves. Among the latter was a
handsome quadroon young woman, who was
the maid Of all work for the family. She
was kindly treated, however, and most OF her
time was occupied in caring for Mrs. Key
nolds, who was an invalid.
After the war closed, Dr. Reynolds concu-
ded to remain in Walker county, as he had
secured good farm and was in fair circum-
stances, 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 farmer well-to'
do, and possessing traits which render neigh
bors much attached. The great desire OF
REYNOLDS was to induce his old friend and
neiehbor to sell out his possessions in North
Carolina and remove to Walker COUNTY, to
assume the relations he occupied in former
DAYS. Reynolds addressed many warm, gush-
ing letters to Horton, describing the beauties,
the riches and bright prospects of Walker
county. There was 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 Horton
yielded to the opportunities of his old friend,
sold out his property in North Carolina. and
with his wife and son removed to Walker
county, where he purchased farm a short
distance from where Reynolds resided. Be-
ing thus settled down once more as neighbors
and friends, things went smoothly and pros
perity smiled upon the two houses. Mark
Horton, the son, and Jessie Reynolds, the
daughter, went to school together in the
neighboring village. and as the years wore on
they grew up to manhood and womanhood
fondly attached to each other, a fact which
gave. the greatest satisfaction to Reynolds
His wife had died about the time the war had
closed, and his daughter, being his only child,
retained all his affection, and he lavished
upon her every luxury that heart could wish.
The quadroon remained with the family,
while the other slaves scattered and found
new homes when the close of the war brought
their freedom
When the time came for Jessie Reynolds
to quit the village school and finish her edu-
cation at college, her father sought an inter-
view with Mr.. Horton, and lost no time in
broaching the subject of the future marriage
of Mark Horton and his daughter. He re-
minded the old man of the many years friend
ship that had existed between them, and how
happy he would be to have the son of his
dear friend and neighbor we'd his only daugh
ter, who had now grown into: beautiful
young lady, the belle of the country for miles
around the envy of all the other young Ia
dies thereabouts, and the most popular girl to
be found in the country. Mr.. Horton liked
Jessie, and so informed her father. But he
thought both her and his son too young just
then to enter into matrimony. He desired his
son to make mark in the world before mar
ryiug. 1t was finally agreed. however, that
Jessie should 60 to college for a year, and
Mark should do the same. Upon their re.
turn, should they desire to marry, the pa
rents would interpose no objections. The
young people were sent to college-one IN
Kentucky and one in New Jersey. When
they returned from their collegiate studies,
they became infatuated with each other on
sight. Three months thereafter there was a
wedding at the Reynolds mansion, which
proved to be one Of the grandest affairs OF
the kind that had ever been witnessed in that
section. The loving pair were made man and
wife under the happiest and most promising
auspices. Each was heir to comfortable
home and good income. All the neighbors
thought that this match was the most ap-
propriate they had known, and everybody
predicted happiness and prosperity to the
newly married pair. The father of Mark
presented him nice farm, and the father OF
Jessie had splendid residence built for them.
After brilliant honeymoon, Mark Horton
and his beautiful 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 marriage
bell. Prosperity smiled upon them, and in
due time son was born unto them, an event
which was celebrated with great ecLat, aud
which brought unusual joy to the parents.
In the midst of all this happy condition of
things the whole neighborhood was thrown
into state of utter confusion by the report
that Mark Horton had separated from his
wife, and that he had filed bill for divorce,
alleging that fraud had been perpetrated
upon him in the marriage; that his wife had
negro blood in her veins; that therefore the
marriage was null and void. There were
hundreds Of rumors, some ridiculous, many
malicious, and the remainder about as near
the truth as is usual in such cases. The
houses of Reynolds and Horton were in a
hutter, and were closed to all outsiders. The
case has Just been decided, and the facts are
substantially as follows: During the early
part of May last the quadroon woman, Lucy
Shepherd, heretofore referred to, was taken
quite i'll, and when it became apparent that
she could live but few days, she secretly re-
quested DR.. Blackman, the physician attend
ing her, to inform Mark Horton that she had
something of Importance to communicate to
him, and desired him to call and see her at
once. Mr.. Horton, in response to this re-
quest, called about an hour after the re-
quest was made. The woman began by tell
ing him that she had kept secret locked in
her breast for years, and now that she was
going to die she could no longer remain silent.
She did not wish to 60 to her grave as the
partner in great fraud. She then inform
ed Mr.. Horton that his wife Jessie was her
daughter, that she was the illegitimate child
of Reynolds, and that the secret which had
so long been kept was the cause of the death
of Mr.. Reynolds wife, who grieved herself
into an early grave on account Of the fraud