The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1879-10-09
A MEXICAN ROMANCE.
An ArIansan Returns After an Absence o.
Many Years.
fFrom the Iittle Rock Gazette-1

MI. y. M. dalSett OF Pike County gives
us the facts of a very interesting ''AulC
Lang Syne" affair, with a sentimental
/ terminus of recent date.
! just about the time that war was de
clared with Mexico, a young man named
| Henry Lauring, and a young neighbOr
| ing lady, Miss Vena Waldron, became
engaged. When the trumpet of wal
| sounded, young, fiery, impetuOus Laur
ing, conceiying it to be duty owed hi
| country, bade his affianced goodbye anC
| became soldier. They were devoted
| to each other, and when the Young mar
| left the young lady vowed that sh,
would never marry if he did not return
After the fall of the City of Mexico, {
man named Ralf Mitchell approached
Lauring and stated that he had lef
Pike County subsequent to Lauring'.
| departure, and that Miss Waldron haC
died a few days before his departure
The young soldier was desperate, ana
when the troops " came marching home
with glad and gallant tread,' he was moi
with them. Having, in a moment, been
transformed from an ardent soldier to a
reckless man, he left the army, and.
smbarking, went to Cuba. From there
he went to Spain, to England, to Aus
tria, Prussia and to France. When the
late FrancO-Prussian war broke out he
entered the French ranks, and at Metz
was almost fatally wounded. When he
recovered the war was over, and, re-
naming in France until the Russian wal
with Turkey, he repaired TO Russia and
joined the army, though an old man.
With a detachment of troops, while at
tempting to cross the Danube, he was
shot through the lungs. For a long time
he languished in a hospital and finally
recovered.
After the Mexican War, and when
Ralf Mitchell returned to Pike County,
he called on Miss Waldron and sympa-
thetically told her that her lover, Laur-
ing, was dead; that he strayed from the
camp one night and was killed by a band
of scouts. The girl fell speechless to
the floor. When she regained con-
sciOusneSs-when the rush of
recollection forced its way over
indistinct memory-snags into the
mind, high fever sprang up,
and for months she tossed OF bed,
caring nothing for her surroundings.
and dreading recovery worse than
death. After long illness she recov-
cred. Mitchell, who was very attentive
to her in her sickness, called frequently
in health. One night while the moon
was shining, while the pale moon shone
on the face of paler girl, Mitchell told
her of his devotion.
We have known each other from
children" he said "we have lived as
and mother. love you with a depth
only known to a burning soul. VIII
you be my wife?''
Mr. Mitchell, - the girl replied, 81
respect you highly, but am engaged to
another"
s'But he is dead"
"The engagement is not. 1t will be
cOnsummated in heaven
"Is there no appeal from your decis-
ion?''
"None."
'' Then I will tantalize you the more.
Lauring is not dead. My love for you
caused me to deceive him. told him
that you were dead, and with a yell OF
despair he left the army. 1 did this
through love-"
Another long illness followed this.
When a strong constitution again came
to the rescue of a life, Mitchell had mar
ried neighboring girl.
Years went on, as years inevitably do.
The girls father and mother sank be-
meath the clay. The girl lived with her
brother. The civil war came on. The
girls brothers. children grew up and
married-not the girl, for she was ad-
vanced in years. In a small house they
lived. There were vines in the yard,
and among them the once beautiful
woman sat and mused. Summer and
winter came and went. The lOve-killed
woman had read every book in the
,1~1z
the rabbit sprang from his damp, snow
sprinkIed bed. But old songs and old
memories still swept the harp-strings of
heart once young and still ardent.
One evening last week Miss Waldron
sat among the vines in the yard. Her
brother was gone to the mill. An old
man with long beard and with tOttering
walk stopped at the gate and asked if
Mr. Waldron lived there. Miss Wal
dron invited him in. He approached,
and when he had reached the vine-cov-
cred porch sank down on a chair, the
one Miss Waldron vacated, and buried
his face in his wrinkled hands.
''Old gentleman - Miss Waldron said,
g can do any thing for you? You look
so weary
"That voice!'' the man exclaimed.
'fVena, don't you know meP Henry
has
A shrek, and the old man stopped and
lifted the form of an old woman from
the floor.
When the brother had returned, and
when the moon had risen, a couple of
old lovers walked out into the beautiful
polished peace of night. The party
walked along the road, each hand clasped
within the other. Opening a gate they
turned into an inclosure. They stopped
at a mound.
Bend over, Henry, and see if you
can read the inscription
Henry leaned over, and Strengthening
up said;
'sIt is the grave of Ralf Mitchell"
Then, in the moonlight, then, while
the soft air famed them, Henry and
Vena clasped hands across the almost
time-leveled mound, and said
- Great God, we forgive the man who
destroyed so many years of happiness. -
In little log church not far away a
pleased minister pronounced Henry and
Vena man and wife. Nature says their
lives will continue but few years
longer; true sentiment says the few years
will be happy ones.
Wedding Costumes in Brittany,