Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-10-16
A SOUTHERN ROMANCE.



about years of age, settled in Walker
county, Ala. They stated that on ac-
count 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 county, in that
State, they found it to be a retired,
peaeeable and prosperous community,
and hence they concluded to settle
down there. In addition to the fami-
! ly, John IL. Reynolds, wife and daugh-
ter, as already stated, there were sew
eral slaves. Among the latter was
handsome quadroon young woman,
who was the maid of all work for the
family. She was kindly treated, how
ever, and most of her time was occu-
pied in caring for Mrs. Reynolds, who
was an invalid.
After the war closed DR.. Reynolds
concluded to remain in Walker county,
as he had secured a 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 a neighbor by the name of
Henry Horton, who was also a farmer
well-to-do and possessing traits which
render neighbors much attached. The
great desire of REYNOLDS was to induce
his old friend and neighbor to
sell out his possessions in North
Carolina and remove to Walker
county, to assume the relations
he occupied in former days. Rey-
nolds addressed many warm, gush-
ing letters to Horton, describing the
beauties, the riches and bright pros
poets 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, Rey-
nolds would assist him. Finally Hor-
ton 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 a farm a short distance
from where Reynolds resided. Being
thus settled down once more as neigh
borl and friends, things went smoothly
and prosperity 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 woman
hood fondly attached to each other, a
fact which gave the greatest satisfac-
ton 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 lavished upon
her every luxury that heart could
wish. The quadroon woman remained
{ with The family. while the other slaves
scattered and found new homes when
the war brought their freedom.
I 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 broaching
, the subject Of the future marriage Of
! Mark Horton and his daughter. He
J reminded the old man of the many
years friendship that had existed be-,
, tween them, and how happy he would
be TO have the son Of his dear friend
and aeighbor wed his only daughter,
who had now grown into o beautiful
? young lady, the belle of the country
I for miles around, the envy of all the
5 other young ladies thereabouts, and
, tho most popular girl to be found in
Z the county. BIZ. Horton liked Jessie,
and so informed her father. But he
thought both her and his son too
! young just then to enter into matri.
, mony. He desired his son to make a
mark in the world before marrying.
1t was finally agreed, however, that
! Jessie should go to college for 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
one 10 New Jersey When they re.
turned from their collegiate studies.
2 they became infatuated with each
, other on sight Three months there
after there was Wedding at the Rey-
nolds mansion, which proved to be
one of the grandest affairs of the kind
, tb4t bad ever been witnessed in that
section. The loving gair were made
man and wife under the happest and
most promising auspices. Each was
heir to comfortable home and good
income. All the neighbors thought
that this match was the most appro.
pirate they had known, and everybody
predicted hsppipess and prosperity to
, the newly married. The father OF
Mark presented him a nice farm, and
, tho father of Jessie had splendid
residence built for them. After a
brilliant honeymoon, Mark Horton
and his beautiful young wife con
cluded to settle down on the farm
which had been given them, and Marx
, determined to adopt farming as his
business. Here all went merry as a
marriage bell. Prosperity smiled upon
them, and in due time son was born
} unto them, an event which was cele-
brated with great eclat, and which
brought unusual joy to the parents.
In the midst of all this happy con-
dition Of things the whole neighbor-
hood was thrown into a 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 a fraud had been perpe.
trated 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 ma.