The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1882-07-14
A REAL LIFE ROMANCE.
TWO LOVING HEARTS UNITED AFTER MANY
YEARS.

A Ripley (Ohio) correspondent of the Gin
cinnati Commercial tells this story: Coming
down the river one evening this week, on
one of the palatial steamers that ply its wa
ters, Commercial representative had related
to him romance in real life, verifying the
constancy of true love, and the old adage
that truth is Oft-times stranger thar fiction.
So remarkable was it in all its details that he
resolved to present it to the multitude of
Commercial readers, unembelished by any
fanciiul adornments or visionary flights of
Imagination.
The scene is laid at Buena Vista, lovely
little village on the Upper Ohio, about one
hundred miles from this city, charmingly
situated amid the picturesque scenery of
that romantic region. Buena Vista, much
like the average country village, situated
away from the hurry and bnstle of the world,
the Inhabitants enjoy ing life in that content
ed manner so characteristic of rural SIMPLE
fty. The village has attained a national
reputation from its celebrated and extensive
freestone quarries that penetrate the rugged
hills around about it. the production of
which being largely used in erecting the
magnificent structures of architectural beau.
ty that embellish the avenues of our great
cities. To this rural retreat there wandered
in the spring of 1873 a gentlemanly-appear
ing stranger, his attire and speech plainly
stamping him native of England.
He was called Farney. He was Of a quiet
retiring disposition, seemingly not desirous
of forming acquaintances. He had been in
the place but a short time when he became
acquainted with another Englishman by the
name of Tyndall, also a recent arrival, and
the two entered into partnership and estab-
lished nursery for the cultivation of fruit
trees and small fruits. They succeeded fine
ly in their undertaking, especially in peach
growing, which develops to perfection in
those rugged hills. The villagers were not
long in finding out that FaTney was gentle
man possessed of rare educational abilities,
and in the fall of 1874, being in need OF a
principal for their high school, he was ten
dered the position. which was accepted.
Entering upon the duties, he soon proved
himself a master of his profession, and the
inhabitants quietly congratulated themselves
upon their apt selection. Among the pupils
attending the high school was a bright, love.
ly and accomplished young lady of eighteen
Miss Wooltan. She was a blooming bru-
nette, petite in stature, possessed of all the
graces and virtues imaginable, and was a
woman that would be called sanity among
women. Under these circumstances it was
not strange that the principal became lnfat-
uated with his lovely pupil, and the infatua-
ton was equally as deep on her part. AS
they became more deeply involved in loves
meshes, Farney proposed and was accepted.
1t is ancient saying that there are always
obstacles in the way of true love and it was
exempIifled in this instance. The parents
of the young lady, who were of aristOcratic
descent. bitterly opposed the attention of
Farney toward their daughter, and she being
of weak and vacillating disposition, they fin
ally preya lied upon her to break the engage
ment. She declared that she loved only Far
ney, and would never marry another. Far
ney lost all interest in his work from that mo-
men, rendered his resignation, and stated
his resolution to leave. He asked the priv
ilege of a last interview with his beloved,
which was granted. What was said is too
sacred to relate here, but as last favor he
requested her to sing that tender song of
Burns. As her fingers rippled over the keys
of the piano, the words came out as a heart
cry in low, passionate accents:
"Had we never loved sac kindly,
Had we never loved sac blindly,
Never net or never parted,
We had ne'er been brOken-hearted.
Fare the weel, thou first and fairest
Fare the weel, thou best and dearest
Thine be ilka Joy and treasure,
Peace, enjoyment, love and pleasure!
Ae fond kiss and then we sever,
Ae farewell, alas forever"
As the melody died away he clasped ber
in his arms, pressed II long, passionate kiss
upon her lips, and left the house and bro
ken heart behind. Farney left the village
on the first boat that came along, ard a few
days later the daily papers contained brief
notice of drowned body having been picked
up few miles below Cincinnati, which,
from the description, was identified by the
residents OF Beuna Vista as their former high
school principal. The young lady, upon
hearing of the suicide of her lover, was in
cOnsolable, and, to all outward appearances,
was dead to the pleasures of the world.
Numerous suiuors sought her hand, but her
steadfast devotion to her dead lover prevail
ed, and they retired from the field, baffied.
In 1876, while Oh visit to relatives in the
famous Blue Grass region of Kentucky, Miss
wooltan attracted the attention of wealthy
fine stock raiser, who was also connected
with the United States Revenue Service
After brie; acquaintance he proposed and
was rejected. He took bis rejection so much
to heart, that he disposed of his farm and
went South; but in the summer of 1881 be
wandered back to the old home. and, as it
oppOrtunely happened, Miss Wooltan was
again there on a visit. Their acquaintance
was renewed, and, 10y persistent attentions
he finally won the consent of the lady to
marry him, although she frankly told him
that it was impossible for her to love him, as
her heaat was buried with her lover; but she
would endeavor to be a true and faithful
wife, and would use all means to make his
life happy one.
The wedding trOusseau was purchased re-
gardIes of expense, and the wedding was
celebrated with great ceremony, being one
of the most brilliant and noteworthy affairs
that ever occurred in that region, famous for
its wealth and culture.
The welded life so auspiciously began was
destined to be of short duration, scarcely six
months passing by until the husband was
killed by a railroad accident in the southern
part of the State. The bereaved widow with
drew from society, and lived the life of re-
cluse.
Three months after the death OF the hus-
band, Farney, the supposed drowned man,
Turns up, to the astonishment
of his Buena Vista friends, who had long
mourned his decease. He hears of the mar
riage of his old love, of the husbands recent