The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-03-19
FAITHFUL TO DEATH.
A Romance Which Began i'm J est and
Ended in Despair.
louisville Courier Journal.

Acorrespondento of the Savannah morn
ing News, writing from this city, relates
forgotten and touching romance as
follows: Who would think of unearth-
ing thread of romance in scrap-bag?
And yet few days ago busy housewife,
putting together one of those treasured
mosaics, yclept a "quilt," overturned a
shred of silk, whereby hung tale of no
ordinary interest. 1t was scrap of satin
of the most elegant quality, once white,
but now yelIowed and time-stained.
Here is its history: About twenty years
ago St. Paul's Church, in Louisville, re-
ioiced in the possession of a pastor who
was the idol of his congregation. Dur
ing his ministrations he lost his wife,
and consequently, as an interesting wild
over, developed new charms in the views
of the feminine portion of his flock.
Among his most devoted and unswerv-
ing admirers, though personally unknown
to him, was maiden lady Of uncertain
age, many peculiarities and independent
circumstances. The fact of her intense
admiration for man to whom she had
never spoken became known to many
and party of young people laid plans
for what proved to be a heartess hoax.
A letter was addressed to the young
lady purporting to come from the rever-
end gentleman, containing professions of
admiration and esteem, asking for cor
respondenee and requesting profound
secrecy The victim fell into the trap
at once, and the correspondence thus be-
gun continued until the pastor accepted
call to church in Savannah, when it
eliminated in a proposal of marriage
This of course was readily accepted, anC
the final letter announcing his approach
ing departure and still enjoining secrecy
from unavoidable circumstances, also de
clared his probable return at any mo
ment to claim his bride.
! Never did happy-hearted girl Sc
about the task of preparation with NOR
delight than this trusting, deceive'
woman. The greater part of her com
potency was expended in the purchase 0
bridal luxuries, complete and elabo
rate outfit, from the heavy satin an,
costly lace of the wedding garment
down through every item Of elegant an
dainty apparel. In the meantime tn
minister, soon after entering upon hi
charge in Savannah, died in that city @
yellow fever, and the authors ~ tn
cruel lest, satisfied with its success
dropped the matter. But nothing coul'
shake the perfect confidence of the ez
pectant bride; her friends tried to res
son her out of her infatuation; men
bers of the church visited her and Ell
deavored to prove how impossible
was that her hopes could be fulfilled.
She triumphantly showed her letter
and refused to credit her lovers deatl
or anything other than the belief that h
might arrive at any moment to claim he
As time passed she lost her friends, an
her property dwindled to mere pi
J tance. She was thrown among stranger
but wherever she went she carried he
, trousseau, taking it occasionally from tn
) trunks to air it, and packing up agai
) with jealous care.
| At last her mental and physical il
| firmities became more pronounced. Sh
D kept her room and admitted no one bu
t the landlady. On her death bed she r.
s quested this attendant to inform he
] lover of her death, and to robe her f(
| burial in her bridal dress. When it W.
a taken from her trunks it was found ths
r these trappings were too CHASTITY for I'll
corpse of white-haired woman, and the
gradually found their way, piece by piec
q into other hands.
!, Barnum. it is charitable to suppos
= blushed for his profession when he passe
l. In ~