Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-08-15
TILDEN'S LOVE STORY.
A Romance in the Life Of the Dead Sage
of GraystOne not Generally Known
TO the Public.
by Miss Celeste stauner, the
Rich southern Besuty-Ccurtiy Mes
ssngsTs Carry Missiyes of
Friendship.


that suggested the tender passion. He
was regarded as entirely statesman. moth
ing aS lover. The account on hand, how
ever. diSproveS the sentiment.
Away down near the end OF the legacies
in Mr. Tilden's will is one of the interest
on 100000 to Miss Celeste Stauffer of
New Orleans. There are a good many so
ciety people in this country who know Miss
Stautfer, but few know OF 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
young, handsome and brilliant woman.
An intimate friend of the Stautfer family
who is now in New York expresses himself
as confidently that Mr.. Tilden at one time
seriously contemplated matrimOny. and was
a sutOr OF Miss Stauffer's hand 1t was
soon after the explosion of the story that
the sage of GrayStOne was engaged to be
married TO Miss Nellie Hazeltine of ST.
Louis that he met the charming young lady
! from New Orleans. Miss Hazeltine was a
blonde, with rich red-golden hair Miss
Stauffer is between brunette and blonde,
of that type styled in New Orleans chat
aigne. Miss Hazeltine, who regned as the
belle of ST. Louis until she married young
Mr.. Parramore, is now dead. Miss Stauffer
is with her family in Europe.
| In 1880 or 1881 Mr.. Tilden met Miss
Mary Celeste Stauffer. and Immediately fell
in love with her. Mr.. Isaac Stauffer, her
father, is the senior partner of the firm of
/ Stauffer, Macready X Co., the largest hard
ware establishment in New. Orleans and
| Pennsylvania Dutch family, and still owns
a farm near York, Pa. His eldest daughter,
Alice, married Henry Preston of the flour
/ firm of Howard & Preston, also Of New Or
leans. Miss Celeste is the youngest of four
children, two of whom are sons. Every
summer the family leave New Orleans for
trip east or to Europe, and they are usually
the first Of that hegira of southern society
which annually seeks comfort and social
intercourse away from the baking brick
pavements of the Crescent City. Most of
the time they spend at Rchfield Springs,
occasionally visiting Saratoga or Long
Branch. Last summer they spent short
time at LenoN. Mass. For three years they
visited at Graystone, on Mr.. Tilden's invi-
tatiOn. In the summer of 1882 the Stauff-
ers remained at Long Branch for time,
occupying one Of the cottages attached to
the West End hotel.
Here Miss Stautfer received twice every
week from Mr.. Tilden a long letter Con-
sidering that they were not under promise
of marriage, this correspondence. whatever
its theme might have been, was sufficiently
remarkable without Mr.. 1ilden making ii
lmOst historical by the eccentricity of its
delivery. 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 confidence Of the aged
statesman received from his own hands the
missive, with the injunction to surrender it
only 10 the fair consignee personally. At
the cottage of the Stauffers this aristocratic
Mercury was received with that formality
his cOurtly bearing seemed to demand, and
ushered into the reception room. If Miss
Stautfer was not at home. he would cali
again when she was. Not infrequently, OH
returning to Gramercy park or Graystone,
he carried to the democratic sage mys-
terious reply to his letter of friendship.
No better illustration of the influence
that the southern beauty exerted over Mr..
Tilden can be given than an episode which
occurred during her visit at Graystone
three years ago. Incidentally. perhaps, she
related 10 Mr.. Tilden the melancholy histo-
ry of one OF her schoOImates, whose father
lost his fortune by the war, and with il
vanished the social prestige of his daugh-
ter. The brave girl made every effort TO
gain livelihood in the limited sphere Of
occupation afforded in New Orleans to re-
spectacle young women. For a time she
succeeded, and then her health broke
down, and she suffered poverty rather than
seek assistance FROM her wealthy friends of
the past. Mr.. Tilden was interested in the |
character of Miss Stauffer's early classmate |
and al no solicitation from that lady sent
10 the heroic maiden certified check for
$40, 600.
hlSS ctdul-I CIdIdsttT Is kIlat OF an AMI ]
bilious, highly intellectual woman who saw |
in a marriage with Mr.. Tilden all the Dos
sibilities of being the first lady in the land. |
Her frequent enjoyment of the hospitality |
Of GrayStone was not so much a triumph |
for her alone, as Mr. Tilden loved
To have the sOmber chateau beau !
titled with the presence of young woman
hood. Her manners. conversation and in |
sOucant grace and airs, acquired from the |
naive CreOles OF New Orleans, fascinated !
the old man. She seemed to be very fond |
of Mr.. Iilden, and anticipated his every |
wish, even To the most trivial attentions at |
the table or in the presence Of social |
gathering. Her glorious physique displayed |
on horseback was the object of Mr. TiIden's |
undisguised admiration. She is an intriped |
and accomplished equestrieune. Miss Stauf-
ter'S greatest art for the enchantment of |
men, both young and old. lay in her con-
versatiOnal powers. She could talk with
wonderful understanding upon any subject
from the smallest Of small talk to the most
recent theories in philosophy and science.
1t is gossip in New Orleans that Miss
Stauffer discarded the best match in ali the
South to hazard a mrrriage with Mr. Til
den. Young kruttSnith, the nephew to
JVdah L. Benjamin, is to-day the pride of
the Louisiana bar and bachelrr. His de-
TOtiOn to the heiress of Isaac Staffer's mil
lions was not inspired by mercenary mo-
lives, for his wealth, both from inheritance
md a lucrative practice. is ample
Don't you think there is a lost chord i'm
my life sOmewhere?" she laughingly asked
lim one night on the piazza of her fathers
house. Ii was moonlight. and Mr.. Krutts,
itch made rejOnder, fitting the occasion.
We'll. YOU are very kind :" she said Sshut