The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-07-10
vANDERBILT's BRIDE.

How He Won Her. or How She Captured Him.
New York Morning Journal
It was bright moonlight night in Albany
some thirty five years ago, and the streets were
filed with loving couples, who walked arm IN
arm up and down and over the many hills IN the
city. The clock in the neighboring steeple was
Ginning the hour of 10, when young lady VINO
was walking through the quiet and deserted
streets was startled by the clatter of horses
hoofs Soon she saw coming up the street at a
break-neck pace, a bay horse, on which was
seated young man with auburn hair, and
beautiful smiling mouth His upper lip was
shielded from the night air by six-months
mustache, which boosted Of twenty-five reddish
brown hairs. The young man handled his horse
with such ease and grace that the young lady
sighed and knew her heart had gone out to the
unknown rider By this time the horse and
rider had reached the corner where the young
lady stood and she; being of modest retiring
! manure, withdrew in the shadow Of doorway.
The horse saw the movement, and being
spirited animal SHE'D and threw its rider, who
fell heavily on pile of stones, striking the left
side Of his face and utterly running the stone
heap The young lady screamed and sprang
dead or very badly injured Hardly had she
reached his side when he jumped up, shook him
self and brushed the dust from his face.
sAre-are you hurt very badly" timidly in
quired the young lady.
youth.
Miss Kissam,n whispered the young lady,
while many bushes suffused her pretty face.
''Well, I'm not hurt, Miss Nissan, said Will
| lam III. Vanderbilt as he introduced himself,
'sbut I'm pretty badly shaken up
Miss Nissan appeared embarrassed, and in
sisted upon young Mr.. Vanderbilt going to her
! home, as he suddenly appeared very faint 1t
| did not take much persuasion to induce him to
escort her home. Here he was introduced to
| Miss Nissan father, the Rev. DR.. Nissan.
| A pleasant evening was spent and William
| proved such an excellent conversationallst that
| when he took his departure that evening he was
| invited to call again. This he promised to do
| When he got into the street he found that he
had forgotten his heart and taken Miss Kssam's
| instead Evidently the young lady was satisfied
with the exchange, for she did not ask Mr.. v. to
return her palpitator Many times did the
| young couple meet. Finally young sVandy.
as his companions called him, plucked up cour-
| age and decided to ask Miss Nissan to change
her name in his favor.
He put off the popping from day to day un-
til the next July, when the Sunday-school of
which Mr. Vanderbilt was superintendent gave
picnic. Miss Nissan was present and
'sVandy" popped
When this momentous event occurred young
William dropped on his knees with such force
that the earth quaked He listened eagerly for
an answer to his request, and amid the singing
Of birds and the rustling of leaves it Came,
softly and lowly whispered 'syes."
If reports are true, Mr.. Vanderbilts strength
greatly exceeded that possessed by Samson in
his palmiest days, for when Williams paroxySm
of joy had passed away there were several hun
bred young saplings lying around torn up by
the roots
Drawing big penknife, the happy young man
cut deep into the bark Of stately maple the
words Mr. and Mrs William H. Vanderbilt"
just to see how it would look in print.
It satished him, and few months later the
young couple were married by the brides father
With his marriage Mr.. Vanderbilt prospered
and to-day is the richest man in the world
Never has he regretted his union with pretty
Miss Nissan, the ''belle of Albany" "a
To this day Mr.. Vanderbilt tells the story Of
his first love. Anyone who can find the maple
tree whore Mr.. v. carved his name, together
with "Mr. and Mrs v. may to this day see
the words. Even now, when he thinks of how
he first met his wife, he will remark:
Funny meeting, ehln and will then sigh when
he thinks of how the stone-heap must have suf
fered
Although Mr.. Vanderbilt talks that way he
knows better Nobody knows better than he
that he is the eldest son of his father, the late
left dollars enough to keep Williams head above
water for all time The present head of the
house, William H, has done better than his
father could have dreamed, as the old gentle
man was in the habit Of limiting that his boy
Bill" had more feet than head. For all that,
sBill has so many government bonds that a
steam engine, going day and night, has hard
work to clip off the coupons in time for payment
Mr.. and Mrs. Vanderbilt have six children
three daughters and three sons One of the lat
ter, Cornelius, lives across the street in a fine
granite house Another son is William K,
chip of the old block. The last is George Wash
ington, who is his fathers pet The daughters
are all ma1Tied-Mrs. Twombly, Mrs. Webb and
MrsaSheppard q SO