The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1886-07-14
AFTER MANY YEARS.
IAo Interesting Romance Of . Devoted
Portland Woman's Life.

Ths Interesting Romance Of . Devoted
Portland Woman's Life.
'Do you see that lady looking into q
shop window. just across the street,"
said q merchant to Journal scribe re.
Gently. The scribe looked in the direc.
ton referred to and saw well-dressed
lady ofrather distinguished appearance
Of perhaps forty-five. admiring one Of
the show windows in dry-goods store.
''The history of that woman's life is
stranger than felton," said the mer.
chant. ''She lives In Portland. When
a young girl she fell desperately in love
with q poor fellow, who returned her
affections, but didn't have money
enough to pay the parson for marrying
them. After deal of consideration by
both Of them, it was decided that he
should start for China to seek his for
tune, and that she should remain be-
hind and wait for his return. She made
q vow that she would not marry for
three years, and II, at the expiration Of
that time, he had not returned, she
would be at perfect liberty to act at her
own pleasure about matrimOny.
Accordingly, the lover boarded the
first ship he could find that was bound
for that port, and the lovers parted.
Six months passed and the girl heard
not q word from her lover. A year
went by. and no letter. The girl grew
almost distracted, for she came to the
conclusion that he had either gone back
on her or was dead. A second year
went by and nothing was heard from
him. At this time another gentleman
began paying his attentions to the lady,
and finally asked for her hand in mar
riage. The girl thought of her vow
and said no, not until the three years is
past The second man urged her with
all his power to marry him. He offered
her wealth, and every luxury that
money could buy; but she was true to
her vow, and said that she would not
marry till the expiration of the three
years. Long before this she had sup
posed her lover dead.
The end Of the third year was draw
ing to q close, and she had promised
the ardent suitor, who had been paying
her every honor in his power for q
year and half, that when the time
was up she would marry him ON the
following day, il her former lover did
not return. The day came, and the
man didn't return from China. On
that very day the wedding bells were
rung, and they were united in mar
riage. Hardly had the marriage cere-
mony been performed, when a ship
came into the bay from China, and on
board was her lover, who had left her
three years ago to gain fortune for
them both-returned. Imagine If you
can her grief, when she saw him. He
came back abundantly rich, to claim
her as his bride, and she had three days
before married another. The blow
nearly crushed them both. But six
years wore away, and in the meantime
the man married and went out West to
live. In few years his wife died. He
had not heard ono word from his old
love for many years, and one day,
merely from curiosity, he addressed a
letter to her brother, inquiring If she
was alive. and if so where she resided.
He received letter shortly afterward
that she had been a widow for several
years, and was living near Portland.
The gentleman left for Portland on the
next train, and in less than week 8
time they were married, and to-day
they are living happily together in the
suburbs Of Portland - Lesoiston (Me. }
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