The Russellville Democrat., 1885-10-29
A SOLDIERS ROMANCE.

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A SOLDIERS ROMANCE.
Over twenty years ago, on that fatal
July day when the greatest artillery
duel known in ancient or modern times
took place between the mighty contend
ing armies near the quaint. sleepy town
of Gettysburg, Pa, Mr.. Robert Corson,
now well-known citizen of Baltimore,
was dangerously wounded. At that
time he was private in Pennsylva-
MIA regiment, having been born and
raised in Philadelphia, and on that heroic
field this gentleman fell. struck in the
side by minie-ball coming from he
never knew Just exactly where. After
lying on the field for ten hours, suffer-
ing intensely from his wound, thirst
and lack OF needfnl attention, and
nerved by desperation to almost super
human efforts, he crawled, during the
darkness of the succeed ng night, some
distance in the country from the battle
field. AS dawn broke he sank totally
exhausted and almost lifeless by the side
of spring of water. There he was
found by young girl from one of the
urlS SuDOIiuS ldi ili-HOuoCo, WIZ tuuo Cht ~
in the morning had ventured from her
home to obtain water from this spring
for culinary purposes. The wounded
soldier was Young in years, not twenty
five, and possessed, notwithstanding its
distortions by suffering, a handsome, in
teresting face. The young lady was in
the first blush OF conscious womanhood,
and If she had left that suffering young
man there to die, by that one act she
would have branded every ancient and
modern male and female romaucer as q
base destroyer of the goddess OF truth.
But she did not. She reported his sad
condition to her parents, and, moved
by her earnest pleadings in his behalf.
even in that hour of great confusion and
multiplicity of demands upon them,
they reluctantly consented to have him
removed to their house. There he was
carefully and skillfully nursed back to ro-
bust life and vigorous health by the young
lady who had saved him. During the
days OF his suffering aud convalescence
the old, old, and yet ever, ever new
story of human hearts and desires was
being enacted in that now quiet farm
house. While he was repairing his vi
tality and acquiring his flesh he was
losing his heart.
Soon the rosy flush on her fair cheek
and the bright light which sparkled i'll
her eye while in his presence convinced
him that his fond passion was recipro-
Gated, and so this young couple became
regularly engaged with the consent and
blessings of every interested person on
all sides. The young gentleman rejoined
his regiment when he had fully re-
covered, although he had been reported
dead, and was so marked on the book
of the command. : At the close of the
war he returned to Philadelphia, and
began the life struggle to secure a
home for what he then considered his
destined bride. During all these years
u warm correspondence had been main
tanned between these two young peo-
pie. But somehow the young man con-
tinued just what he originally was
very poor. Then the young lady, at
last completely tired OF waiting and
sighing. and realizing that time was
fleeing and years disappearing. broke
the engagement. and receiving the at
tention OF neighboring farmer who
possessed Government bonds and one
large Pennsylvania farm, par value 81
600 per acre, in due and proper course
of time married him. Mr.. Corson, in
Philadelphia, did not lie down and die.
AS he remarked recently to your repre-
sentative:
..At that time felt exactly like Mime.
Bonaparte, nee Miss Elizabeth Paterson,
of Baltimore, did when, after the de-
sertion of her royal husband, she ex-
claimed: AT one time in my life | had
three ruling passions--love. ambition
for worldly honors and ayarice they are
all dead now but one. and that one is
ayafice. 1t is the sole controlling mo-
tive in my life.' As this gentlema IN.
after many efforts, failed TO succeed in
Philadelphia, he came TO this city and
once more hitherto relentless fate
changed he countenance from the dark
frown of adversity to the blessed smile
OF prosperity, and he began to legiti-
and always win be much better, save the
major portion OF the same. During all
these years he completely lost sight Of
his first and only love, but his heaft
remained undisturb d by the bewitcE.
ing efforts and coy Establishments OF the
many young ladies' who. for the past
ten wealthy years of his life, have been
paying him marked attention. The CON
Guiding chapter of this true narrative
can best be given in the vivid descrlp-
tive words OF the gentleman himself,
which he used with much emphasis and
many graphic gestures TO your CORE
spondent to day:
"Last week Wednesday morning, while
walking down Baltimore street, Ipassed
u lady One brief, casual glance at her
face at once attracted my attention.
have seen that face before, was my
first thought And then | mentally ex-
claimed wqAdcr where? Although
to the ordinary observer there was moth
ing especially attractive in either her
face or figure, for she was evidently