The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-04-25
THE FOLSOM FAMILY.

Romantic Story of the Wooing and Marriage
of Miss Folsom's Great-Grandaunt.
Special to the Indianapolis journal
WASHINGTON, April 24.-Just at present the
most interesting gossip in this city is that con
nected in some way with the rumored bride elect
of the White House Paragraphs about Miss
Folsom are floating about as thick as the bud
ding leaves on the trees here; but / was told to-
day most romantic story about the great
grandaunt of this Miss Folsom. who was the
first Lady Stirling, of England. She, too, was a
Miss Folsom, before she became "My Lady
Stirling. She lived in the quaint New England
town of Stafford. in Connecticut. and was the
daughter of the village blacksmith She was
the beauty of the hamlet, and so pretty was she
that her face was famous in the State. She was
just budding into womanhood when It happened
that Lord Stirling passed through the little vii
lage on his way to Boston. The arrival of such
nobleman in the colonial town was an event of
much Importance, and of course everyone had
glimpse of his lordship. My narrator says his
tory does not mention exactly how my lord first
caught glimpse of Miss Folsom; but the tradi-
ton is extant that he fell in love at first sight
Her sweet. pure and innocent face won him at
once. Instead of going direct to Boston, he
stayed in Stafford for some days. and met
the village beauty. Very probably he took
his horses to her fathers blacksmith shop to be
shod. and thus got solid with the old man. He
went to Boston, but returned and made quick
work of his courtship. He popped the question
in matter-of-fact manner, was accepted, and
married the maiden and then left, saying be
would come back and carry her off to his
English home. Months passed and no word
came from his iordship. 1t was long before the
days of fast ocean steamers. penny posts and
telegraphs. but still he had time to communicate
with his bride. but he did not The goSsips Ia
the village laughed and shook their heads at the
beauty, and said she had been fooled but still
she believed in her noble lord. Time flew by.
A son was born to her. Gossip then grew loud
and harsh. even the blacksmith and his wife be-
gan to look seriously at the affair." but at the end
of the first year, retinue of noblemen arrived
in the town and asked for Lady Stirling They
informed her that her husband had sent a ship
over from England to bear her to her manor,
and it was waiting in the New York harbor to
set sail for merry England with the bride. Still
there were evil tongues that wagged and warned
the bride to stay and not be lured away to a for
eign shore to become the mistress of an English
lord. But the lady believed in her lord and
Went with his messengers. The ship she found
awaiting her was indeed royal one. 1t was
fitted up with every comfort known in those
days for pleasant ocean voyage. The mother
and son spent many happy days in their float
ing palace. On their arrival in England they
found Lord Stirling awaiting them. She was
received with great distinction. He ac-
knowledged her as his wife, and his family well
coined her as such, and their married life is
known to have been most happy.
Now the great grandneice is about to sail
from Engiand-not on special ship, but on
magnificent ocean steamer. The lord picked out
for her will probably not be waiting for her ar
rival at the New York quarantine. but ne will
be here, and soon after her arrival, If gossip is
true, she will come hither and become the first
lady in the United States