The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1886-08-28
MIR. TILDEN'S ROMANCE.
HIS Love Affair With a New Orleans
Belle.
T From the Times-Democrat,1

|
| Mr.. Tiiden's will is one Of the interest
on 100000 to Miss Celeste Stauffer, of
New Orleans. There are good many
society people in New York who
know Miss Staulfer, but few know or
can understand why Mr.. Tilden should
remember her in his will. The story
is romantic one, and tells of the love
| Of the aged statesman for a young,
handsome and brilliant woman. An
intimate OF the Stauffer family, who is
now in New York, expresses himself
as confident that Mr.. Tildeu at one
time seriously contemplated matrimo-
ny, and was a sutton for Miss Stauf1er's
hand.
set was soon after the explosion of
was engaged to be married to Miss
Nellie Hazeltine, of ST. Louis, that he
met the charming young lady from
New Orleans. Miss IIazeltine was a
blonde with rich golden hair. Miss
blonde, Of that type styled in New
Orleans chataigne.
"Miss HaZeltine, who reigned as the
belle of st. Louis until she married
young Mr.. Parramore, is now dead,
Europe.
"Ii1 1880 or 1881
MIR. TILDEN MET MISS MARY CELESTE
sTAUFTEH,
and immediately fell in love with her.
Mr.. Isaac StautIer, her father, is tho
seuior partner of Stauiler, Macready 4
Co., The largest hardware establishment
in New Orleans, and perhaps in the
South. He comes Of an old Penusyl-
vauia Dutch family, and still owns a
farm near York, Pa, His eldest
daughter, Alice, married Henry Pres
ton, Of the flour firm OF Howard &
Preston, also of New Orleans. Miss
Celeste is the youngest of four children,
two of whom are sons. Every summer
the family leave New Orleans for a
trip East or to Europe, and they are
usually the first of the hegira of South
ern society which annually seeks conn.,
fort and social Intercourse away from
the baking brick pavements of the
Civsceut City. Most of the time they
spend at lSichfield Springs, occasional
~ visiting Saratoga or Long Branch.
Last summer they spent short time
at LennoX, Mass. For three years
they visited at Greysloue on Mr.. Til
den - Invitation.
"In the summer of 1882 the Siauffers
remained at Long Branch for a time,
| Occupying one of the cottages attached
to the West Eud hotel. Here Miss
SiaufT~r received twice every week
from NJ. TiIden
A LONG LETTER.
Considering that they were not under
promise of marriage this correspond
ence, whatever its theme might have
been, was sufficiently remarkable with
out Mr.. Tilden's making 1t almost his
torical by the eccentricity of its delive-
ry. He would not trust the postal
service, nor would he condescend to
hire an ordinary messenger. On the
stipulated days gentleman of social
standing, such as permitted the conf
dence OF the aged statesman, received
| from his own hand the missive with
the Injunction to surrender it only to
the fair consignee personally. At the
cottage of the Stauffers this aristocratic
Mercury was received with that for
mality his courtly bearing seemed to
demand, and ushered into the recep-
tion room. If Miss Stauffer was not at
home he would call again when she
was.
"Not infrequently on returning to
! Gtamercy park or Greystone he carried
10 the Democratic sage a mysterious
reply to his letter of friendship.
| "No better illustration OF the in
fiuence that the Southern beauty ex-
erted over Mr.. Tilden can lie given
than an episode which occurred DUR
ing her visit at Greystone three years
ago. Incidentally, perhaps, she re-
lated TO Mr. Tilden the melancholy
history of one of her schoolmates,
whose father lost his fortune by the
war, aud with it vanished the social
prestige of bis daughter. The brave
girl made every effort to gain liveli.
hood in the limited sphere afforded in
New Orleans for respectable young
women. For time she succeeded
and then her health broke down and
she suffered poverty rather than seek
assistance from wealthy friends OF the
past: Mr.. Tilden was interested in the