The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1882-10-07
ROMANCE IN REAL LIFE.


From Nec York SIM.
Before the war Robert Stafford, a milf
ionnaire planter owned two islands off the
coast of Georgia which were noted for tt 9
superior cotton they produced-the ia
nous Sea Islands variety. On the larger
of the two isla .ds Mr.. Stafford lived. He
fell in love with Creole girl who was one
of his slaves, and married her. She was
educated and refined in manners Six
children were the fruits OF that marriages
Two boys died in their youth. Just be-
fore the breaking out of the civil war Stat
ford who noted the gathering clouds came
North and built magnificent dwelling
among the pastures few miles north of
this village, on the swelling banks Of the
Thames River. Then he returned to the
south, and thence sent bis wife and daugh-
ters to the Northern home. Here they
were surrounded by every luxury. The
interior of the house was very fine and
the grounds were a triumph of the gardel :
er's skill. Beautiful and rare plants and
shrubbery diversified the rolling green OF
the lawns, fountains played among mar-
BILE statues, and wound up to the spacious
verandas. The advent of the beautiful
girls in New London and Groton was an
event that is still fresh in the memory Of
Connecticut society.
The girls received fashionable North
ern education. Private tutors taught
them French, Italian. music, painting and
the art of the ball room. They We're rear
ed i'll the most pretentious society and
suitors were not few. One sister mar
ried Fred Palmer, of New London. The
union was not 4 happy one and Il Separa-
ton soon followed. Another sister was
welded to Commodore lady. Of New
York. The honeymoon was passed in
Paris, where the bride shone as a society
star for few months. Soon afterward the
couple were divorced. The youngest sister
was married to New York gentleman
and is living happily with her husband.
Adelaide another sister, has during the
past eight years been at Paris. A few
months ago she met Count Cybulski. who
is connected with the diplomatic service
of Russia and about month ago she be-
came his wife, the nuptials being celebra.
ted in the Church of Noure Dame. She
sent wedding cards to her friends in
Groton and New London, dainty pieces of
pasteboard, perfumed, adorned with regal
coronet and bearing the words in Italian:
Countess Cybulski, Paris" Tn" young
wife is described as tall, 1.-THE. graceful,
with olive tinted skin and lustrous eyes
The Count is little, old, withered and bent
with 4 whisk of yellow beard. He has
taken his wife to live in the most elegant
quarter of Paris.
Robert Stafford was loyal tn the Union
At one time the troops of General Joe
Hawley, the Seventh Connecticut Regi-
ment, were quartered on his plantation.
He passed his summers in the North from
1867 to the year of his death. 1878. He
bought property in New London and
Norwich, which the heirs still hold. He
left a will by which $500, 600 were divided
equally among the daughters, while the
bulk Of the property, several million dol
lars, was divided among distant relatives.
The great mansion that he built in Groton
remains in treeless and isolated grandeur
among the bleak pasture lands. and every
tourist that Journeys up the Thames Val
ley inquiries: - Who is the owner of that
splendid place. 1t is many years since
daughter of the Creole slave of the Geor-
gian Island has revisited the mansion.