Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-09-06
" Be she fairer than the day,
Or than fiowery meads in May,
II she be not fair to me,
What care / how fair she haYi,

Inthose times men fought for lovely woman's
smiles. and when one was the fortunate win
ner the rejected went promptly of and blew
their brains out-when they had any. Certain
1t is that the fair women played the principal
parts in the long line of thrilling romances
with which, as notewo thy circumstance,
every Virginia family Of any note is lowered.
This seems to apply peculiarly to Virginians,
and can hardly be said of any other class of
people unless it be those of the extreme South.
How common is it to remark of almost any
family history of the Old Dominion that, with
but few embellishments, it would make an ex-
oellent novel.
But to return to the young heiress and belle
She was betrothed to young Englishman and
the wedding day set for time Immediately
upon his return from visit to his home across
the water. But he came back in his coffin,
having died on shipboard when near home.
The remains were accompanied by brother
then visiting America for the first time The
expectant bride buried her bridal veil and
wreath in her lover 8 coffin and then succumbed
to brain fever. After lingering between life
and death for long time she recovered. and
the dead lovers brother, a rema arkably winning
and handsome man, made known to her his
brothers last request. mainly, that after her
first grief was spent she should marry this new
suitor. After much persuasion he was success
full and they were married. Then, In the course
of time short enough the husbands real char
acter developed itself. He was harsh and bru-
tai in his treatment of his wife, letting it be
freely known that her fortune was all that had
tempted him. 1t was even suspected he had
been the cause of his brothers death in order
to trump up the plausible falsehood and win
his fancee, whom he had never seen 6-knew
to be ansheiress He spent her money prodi-
gally, and finally removed with his family to
Kentucky, in order to torment his fatheT-in-
law, who in the meantime had married again,
and was rearing large family at Ferney. He
besought the old gentleman for his daughters
portion of the estate, and finding his importu-
mites unavailing sent his wife to her father
with the sarcastic message, Ito take har ana
a uuaC fEoA OR
porting other peoples children" Her father
did keep her, and she shortly died
raving maniac. She left two daughters,
inheriting their mothers personal charms the
younger one also being gifted with her peculiar
fathers character. AS they grew to woman
hood the elder incurred her parents severe
displeasure by showing a partiality for her
mothers family She became aflanced to a
wealthy Southern PLANTER to whom she was
deeply attached. Her father objected to the
match, and offered her husband Of his own
ehoosing-the Captain Of g vessel known to
have played the pirate on more than one occa-
sion She scornfully refused all oyerturee
and with revenge,so remarkable as it il true
this unnatural father Ret himself to wean away
the affections OF her betrothed bya system OF the
most plausible and cunningly fabricated SLAM
ders, at the same time paving the way for A
marriage between the younger daught.r r and
her sisters lover, assuring him that It was sim
ply desire not 70 see him imposed upon halted
him 70 break on match with woman nm
worthy Of good and honorable man. The
inhuman artihce was successful The favorite
daughter marrie1 and went her way, and the
wronged Child took up her load of sorrow to
her life's end. This monster at last met the
fate he so richly deserved. He had made him
self such terror by his cruelties that his
name grew to be by-word of repoach where
he lived, and one day a well-aimed shot from .
garret window in the village gut short his ca
reer. 30 relieved was the community that no
search waa made for the murderer
Feraey has passed from hand to hand and
owner to owner, but yet always held by those
of the same bleod and lineage, There is extant
in the family a letter from Lafayette to one ~
its members, written during bis last Ameri-
can tour in response to an Invitation
to visit Ferney. which the illustrious traveller
was compelled to decline. Amongst the fam
lily treasures, long since retired from active ser
vice, and kept merely es heirlooms, are set of
silver teaspoons, with funny little round bowls
| ana carved handles, worn very thin bearing
| the crest OK al old English baronial family
I and also pair Of silver candlesticks said Ia
| have lighted many festive occasion. wber
| the proudast names Of Virginia, and the fairesi
| faces in the Old Dominion, were gathered to-
| gether, when Virginia was the brightest star II
the crown Of the young republic.
There Is the portrait Of a comparatively
modern member Of the family, bonnie look
/ ing girl who was all arrayed in her bridal fin
| cry and her bridegroom waiting, when behold
l young Lochinvar, for whom she had cherished