The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1880-04-02
A Forgotten Romance, Which Began In
Jest and Ended in Despair.

A CORRESPONDENT of the Savannah
(Ga.) Morning Ne,0s, writing from
Louisville, relates forgotten and
touching romance as follows:
Who would think of unearthing a
thread of romance in scrap-bagp And
yet few days ago busy housewife,
putting together one of those treasured
mosaics. yclept "quilt," overturned a
shred of silk whereby hung a tale of no
ordinary interest. 1t was a scrap of
satin, of the most elegant quality, once
white, but now yellowed and time
stained. Here is its history: About
twenty years ago st. PauIs church in
Louisville rejoiced in the possession of a
pastor who was the idol of his congre-
cation. During his ministrations he
lost his wife. and, consequently, as an
interesting widower developed new
charms in the views of the feminine
portion of his flock. Amongst his most
devoted and answering admirers,
though personally unknown to him, was
a maiden lady of uncertain age, many
peculiarities and independent circum-
stances. The fact of her intense adj
miratiOn for a man to whom she had
never spoken became known to many,
and p lrty of young people laid plans
for what proved to be heartless hoax.
A letter was addressed to the young
lady purporting to come from the rev.
erend gentleman, containing professions
of admiration and esteem, asking for a
correspondence, and requesting pro-
found secrecy. The victim fell into the
trap at once, and the correspondence
thus began continued until the pastor
accepted call to church in Savannah,
when it eliminated in proposal of
marriage. This, of course, was readily
accepted, and the final letter, announc-
ing his approaching departure, and still
enjoining secrecy from unavoidable cir
cumstances, also declared his probable
return at any moment to claim his
bride.
Never did happy-hearted girl set
about the task of preparation with more
delight than this trusting, deceived
woman. The greater part of her COM
potency was expended in the purchase
of bridal Injuries, a complete and elab-
crate outfit, from the heavy satin and
costly lace of the wedding garments
down through every item of elegant and
dainty apparel. In the meantime the
minister, soon after entering upon his
charge in Savannah, died in that city of
yellow fever, and the authors of this
cruel jest, satisfied with its success,
dropped the matter. But nothing could
shake the perfect confidence of the ex-
pectant bride; her friends tried to rea-
son her out of her infatuation; members
of the church visited her and endeav-
ored to prove how impossible it was her
hopes could be fulfilled. She triumph
antly showed her letters and refused
to credit her lovers death or anything
other than the belief that he might ar
rive at any moment to claim her. As
the time passed she lost her friends and
her property dwindled to a mere pit
lance. She was thrown amongst stran-
gers, but wherever she went she car
ried her trousseau, taking it OCCASION
ally from the trunk to air it, and pack
ing it up again with jealous care.
At last her mental and physical in
frmities became more pronounced. She
kept her room and admitted no one but
her landlady. On her death-bed she
requested this attendant to inform her
lover of her death. and to robe her for
burial inthe bridal dress. When it was
taken from the trunks it was found that
these trappings were too CHASTITY for the
corpse of white-haired woman, and
they gradually found their way, piece
by piece, into other hands.
Always in haste-the letter b.