The Dawson journal., 1885-01-22
WHY HE NEVER MARRIED.
Gov. Clevelahd's Christmas Romance.

LLMIRA, Jan. l. eOple won
der why Gov. Cleveland never
married" said a prominent hotel
man from Buffalo, who has been
stopping a few sdays in Elmira.
"Few, if any, now living beside
myself. know the.true reason"
Cant you give some of the par
ticulars, Colonel?". said a reporter,
with whom the Bufalonian was con
versing.
1"Well, yes," said the Colonel.
Il dom. think it, will do any harm
to repeat the story.as Mr.. .sCleve-
land told it to me several years
ago, shortly after the occurrence
which has made him a bachelor,
and is likely. to do SO the balance
of his'life. This is his story as
nearly as I can remember it. I
was sitting in the hotel one even
ing, along about 10 o'clock, when
Grover dropped in. I noticed he
looked somewhat pale and serious,
although it was Christmas eve,
and most young men were out
making merry.
whats the matter, old fellow?"
l querried. "You look bilious.
Are you out of sorts?"
"No," said Grover, this is the
anniversary of sad tragedy in
my life. You remember, don't
you, my old chum and mate,
Jim Harvey, ended his life with a
pistol ball four years ago to-
night?
"Well, behind his tragic death
lies a romance that binds his
memory and my life to the past,
and brings up sorrowful recollec-
tions with each recurring Christ
mas eve. Four years ago tonight
1 sat in my room, ON Washington
street, waiting for Jim to return.
1t was about $50 when l heard
his footstep on the stairs,
COMING RATHER UNCERTAIN,
as though he had met some of the
boys and taken an egg-nog or two.
l heard him on the landing, and
was about to open the door when
pistol shot rang out and a heavy
fall greeted my ears. l hastily
threw the door open, and by the
light that streamed out of the
room l beheld poor Jim about
breathing his last, with blood and
brains oozing out from horrible
wound in his right temple. You
remember. the excitement on that
occasion, when the news spread
through the city, and the surmises
as to what would have led the ge-
NAL fellow to do such a rash act.
Jim left no sign, or spoke no word
by which I could judge of his mo-
tive. / know that he had a sweet
heart in some part of the city, but
couldn't tell where, as Jim kept
that one affair exclusively to him
self. Just a year from that night
l learned the secret of his mad
act. During the summer follow
ing his death l became acquaint-
ell with'.thes most beautiful young
lady / had ever seen. If | were
an artist | might describe her per-
feet type of beauty, Her eyes
were of the deepest shade of blue,
her cheeks soft tinted as porcelain,
while her hair hung like streaks
of sunshine about her shoulders.
[ was attracted tosher from the
first. Her amiability and sweet
ness of disposition, added to her
grace and beauty, soon made me
A DEvOTEE AT HER SHRINE.
Whenever an opportunity offered
1 was by her side. She seemed
pleased with my little attentions,
and by the time October hung her
gorgeous mantle upon the land
scape | found myself madly in
love with the fairy-like creature.
| was afraid to tell her SO, fo1
fear of being rejected. So / lived
on in FOOLS paradise of hopes
and fears until Christmas time.
purchased a very pretty little
trinket for gift for the woman
who lived in my thoughts by day
my dreams by night, and, will
conflicting emotions, l started, OF
the first anniversary of my ole
chum's death, for the house o.
my idol, determined to ask her OF
that Christmas eve to be my wife