Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1880-04-02
Sad Sequel Of a Joke.

Who could think of uneartEing thread
of romance in a scrap-bag2 And YET le"
DAYS ago busy housewife. putting togeth-
or one of those treasured mosaics, yclept
s:ouilt.'' overturned a shred OF SILK where-
by hung a tale OF no ordinary interest. IL
was a scrap of satin, of the finest quality,
once white, bat now yellow and Time
stained. Here is.its history:
About twenty years ago, st. Pauis
church in Louisville, rejolced IN the pos
session of pastor who was the ldol OF us
congregation. During MS mlniscIaCioas
he lost his wife. and consequently became
AN interesting 'widower Among ms most
devoted admirers, though personally I'M
known to him, was IA maiden lady or IN
certain age many peculiaritieS ana lnde-
nendent circumstances. The fact OF her
intense admiration for man to whom she
had never spoken became known 10 many,
and party of young people laid plans tor
what proved TO be Il hear, less hoax. a let
ter was addressed to the lady purportlng
TO come from the reverend gentleman, con-
tanning professions of admiration and es-
TEEN. asking for correspondence, and re-
ouestIng profound secrecy. The vicsfm
fell into the trap at once, and the cores
pondence thus begun continued unCll Inc
pastor accepted a call to church IN oa.
vannah. when 1t eliminated in a proposal
of marriage This, of course, was readily
accepted, and the final letter; announcing
his approaching departure and still enJoln-
ing secrecy from unavoidable circumstan-
ces, also declared his probable return at
any moment to claim his bride.
Never did a'happy-hearted girl set about
the task of preparation with more delight
than this trusting, deceived woman. The
! greater part of her income was ex-
nended in the purchase OF bridal luxuries,
| a complete and elaborate outfit, from the
heavy satin and costly lace OF the wedding
garments down through every item OF ele-
| CANT and dainty apparel. In the mean
| time the minister, soon after entering up
on his charge in Savannah, died in that
city of yellow fever, and the authors OF the
cruel jest, satisfied with its success. drop
ped the matter But nothing could shake
the confidence of the expectant bride; her
| friends tried to reason her out of her in
fatuation; members of the church visited
her and endeavored to prove how lmpos-
sible it was her hopes could be fulfilled.
| She triumphantly showed her letters and
| refused to credit her lovers death or any
thing other than the belief that he might
arrive at any moment to claim her: AS
| time passed she lost her friends. and ner
property dwindled to mere pittance she
was thrown among strangers. but wher-
ever she went she carried her tfousseau,
taking it occasionally from the trunks to
air it; and packing it up again with jeal-
Gus care.
At last her mental and physical in6rmi-
ties 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 IN the
bridal dress. When 1t 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
Letter IN the Savannah (Ga.) Ne,cs.