The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-08-25

0t many accOmpliSneutS naQ many
grace and vivacity. She ear to all
suitors, but turned deaf ct Whit.
their pleadings until she mof much
ney, wealthy New Yorker
learning. They grew to love each
other and met much when Myra.
was away from home. Finally
Whitney came to Col. Davis for the
hand of his supposed daughter in
marriage. He was confident Of sue
cess and not prepared for the cold
reception he received. His offer
was Indignantly refused and the
guardian ordered Whitney from the
house. They both pleaded with
him, but his anger got the better of
his habitual courtesy, and he had
Whitney elected from the house.
Myra still urged him to give his
consent, and finally he declared
that he was not her father, but if
he was he would lock her up for the
rest of her life. Had Colonel Da-
Wis been a prudent man he would
not have let the secret out. To let
Myra Clark know that he was an
imposter, and one who had now no
right to exercise any control over
her-a thing she had never before
suspected-was to put to an end all
his plans and careful concealment of
the true facts of her history. Why
he had persistently kept the fact Of
Myra's birth a secret has since been
discovered. In his hands Daniel
Clark, before his death and after be
had separated from his wayward
wife, placed 100000, fearing bust
ness trouble. Davis was to hold it
in trust, but he never told his ward
about the money until the secret was
wrung flom his lips. 1t is also
known that Col. Davis emphatically
objected to the girls marriage with
Whitney because he designed that
she should wed one of his sons, and
thus keep the large sum of money
which was hers by right in his pos
session. Having learned from her
guardian that he was not her father
Myra Clark at once determined to
act for herself. Col. Davis still in
sisted on acting the part OF her
guardian, and refused to permit the
marrige to take place.
The young couple met by stealth
and planned an elopement. In ar
ranging for. the runaway match
they were assisted by a Miss Will
hanson, who was leading belle, q
particular friend Of Myra, and the
daughter of Nicholas G. William
son, about that time mayor Of the
city. The details of the escapade
were quietly fixed up, and as quietly
carried into execution, and before
Col. Davis knew anything of the
march which had been stolen upon
him the young couple were in place
of concealment awaiting the arri-
val of minister. Old citizens still
tell with interest how the doughty
colonel acted when he first learned
of wayward exploit. He tore around
the house in frantic rage, vowing
vengeance on Whitney and the girl
and finnlly::ordering out his fayorite
saddle horse, dashed down the vii
lage highway into the town in hot
haste, with a riding whip in one
hand and a pistol in the other. With
the aid of Mr.. Williamson, whose
daughter was frightened into ma
king a partial confession. Davis fl
nally learned the hiding place Of the
fugitives. He hurried at once to
the place. By this time his anger
had cooled somewhat, and he gave
reluctant consent to the marriage
on condition that the two runaways
would at once return to Delamore
place. The minister had not az
rived, and Myra and her lover went
back to the house in triumph. The
wedding took place a short time
afterward and was the seven-days'
talk of Wilmington.
In a very little while the couple
left Delamore place forever, and
Mrs. Whitney commenced her long
battle in the courts, not for the
100000 held by Col. Davis, but
for the property in New Orleans,
already worth countlcssN, millions,
and with the result of her work the
world is acquainted. 1t is not a
little singular that at the death Of
| Col. Davis his heir at law came
nearly being defrauded out Of their
property in way similar to that
adopted by those who sought to Sc
cure Dauie! Clark's immense es
tate, among whom was Davis him
self. In the Clark case, Mr.. Clark's
business partner burned the true
will, which left the property to Mrs.
Gaines, his only child, then un-
known, filed a bogus document,
making himself executor and DIS
posed Of the land to his own ad-
vantage. In the case of Col. Davis,
William Hoxey Rogers, after Davis
death, produced a will, leaving the
execution of the vast estate in his
hands and not holding him 10 any
sense responsible. The will was
tested in the courts and broken and
the case was the most famous OF the
kind ever tried In Deleware.