Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-11-12

NOW 1t is only necessary to strike ont
the words italian and 'sMinistrv of
Mar, ana substitute for the latter words
united States ARMY" to make this q
Georgia item of some two years ago. AT
that time Captain Charles W, Williams.
Quartermaster in the army, who is a
natlVe OF Kentucky, and a graduate of
W est Point Military Academy, claimed
TO have invented just this kind of a tele-
graph, and trial was made on the Ell
Oerton branch of the Air Line Railroad.
Vnlcn was pronounced q success. | then
SAID that did not believe it would ever
prove OF much real value, and am still
OF that opinion. Capt. Williams, who
married Gen. Gordon's niece, is, however.
entitled to have his claim considered.
A DRAMATIC ROMANCE.
A distinguished citizen of Georgia.
whose recOllectiOns of old dramatic scenes
and characters in this State is vivid and
TellaDle, informs me that sprightly Fay
Iemplet0n, so long known as 'EMav the
Fay," whose hasty marriage and as hasty
separation from Billy West, the we'll
known negro minstrel, is still the subject
oil general gossip, belongs to a former Sa-
vannah family.
1t is possible that there may be now re-
siding IN your city people who remember
a rather pretty young woman named
Mary Richardson, the daughter of a
widow who lived in the vicinity of the
Central Railroad depot. At the same pc
rlod one OF the master mechanics of the
road, Northern man named Van Ness.
was visitor to the family, and married
the daughter after the usual cOurtship.
A few years later not doing as well as he
desired, Van Ness removed to Jackson
vile, Fla, but only to meet with
greater Ill luck; and there, some time
subsequent, it is thought, both he
and his wife died. John TempletOn an
pears to have been faithful friend to both
In their adversity, and to have taken
charge of their daughters, Alice and
Isabel, the former becoming his wife. OF
course it is known in every Southern
community that Alice and Isabel Vane
have been John Templeton's leading ac-
tresses for 10! these many years.
Little 'May the Fay" who has grown
up from a dainty child on the Southern
stage, making new friends every year and
never losing her old ones, and is now a
charming actress, was the fruit of Tenn
pletOn's marriage with Alice Van Ness.
Attractive as she is, both on and off the
stage, my informant tells me that she has
not inherited in full the early beauty of
her mother or grandmother, but seems
rather to resemble her grandfather Van
Ness.
ME cannot Vouch Tor the correctness
of this theatrical gossip, | have the fullest
confidence in the gentleman who gives
me the facts. L repeat them here because
so many readers of the MORNING NEWS
have watched the growing fame and in
creaslng years Oflittle "May the Fay' with
tender interest. She always won hearts
on the stage or in private life as child,
and even now, in her opening woman
hood, in the midst of her wrecked domes-
tic happiness, as she goes back to blunt
old John Templeton, her beloved father,
and the faithful friend of her unfortunate
grandparents, and her orphaned mother,
to rewind the loving tendrils of her warm
heart about HIM in his declining wears.
there are thousands of hearts in the South
that beat in deepest sympathy with her
flial affection and renewed devotion, and
wi h for her years of increasing happi-
ness and growing fame. CHATHAM.