Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-05-30
TYLER'S WEDDING.
Coart,hip Brief and Secret Marriage In
New York and the sur
prise Of Society.


prise Of Society.
svsxhtpzton letter TO New York Herald
The expected marriage OF President
frgese,and recalls 20 mind the most roman
~ s,nry connected With any Wbite-House
Wedding, and Astounding most In dramatic
incidents. IL was that Of the wooing OF
President Tyler, for II began In the East
room a, the White House on the 22d OF
F.hruary, 1874, u reception given ny the
President In honor 81 WsshtDgton's birth'
day. ia which room less than a week iater
az fathey--Mr. David Gardincr-of
The youug and handsome girl whom
President Tyler had singled out for
special attentions at the reception lay
eorpsc. with others killed on the ever
n.totahle excursion on the Princeton.
Mrs. TYLER has told the story TO the writer
hereof. ard said when she did so that the
tragic events which 50 soon followed the
h.gnnirg 0f the courtship bad The direct
,iJect Of bringing that conrtship 10 happy
termination In q wedding only four months
Later she said she thought that but for
Inc kindness ard tender sympathy which
presldept Tyler showed her az the time Of
her fathers death and aflerward she
would not have been induced. being quite
a Young girl, and thinking him by comparl-
son very old man, 10 marry him so s)on.
THE wooISG.
She said that the President bad sought
her ont at tho reception OF February 22d.
and. rs he promenaded with her In the
Fast Room, which was thronged, whispered
2 his admiration into her ear, while she,
elated by the pleasures OF the evening and
pcyer thinking q the old gentlemen beside
her rs a possible husband. tossed her head.
on which she wore Greek cap. until the
long cold tasseis of the cap brushed the
check Of the sutton. She says she
bsd no thought OF marriage then,
for life was to heT--as II Il to most
bsppiIy.situaied young girls-too &C.
IlghifuI q dream 10 risk an awakening Dy
changing It's current, unless love has really
touched the heart. Miss julia Gerdiner
was at that time, as those who remember
her then have told the writer. hand some,
yiyacious, pnd cequettish. Flushed with
the memory Of other conquesis and con-
scious Of the envy and general admira'
lion she was az that moment eXciting,
Miss Gardner turned that evening
deaf ear 10 the offer made her OF
sharing the honors ~ the nation with
IA Chief Executive, and soon disengagine
tssy. she took Der fathers arm and walked
prolidly away. But she did not dare tell
her father, David Gardiner, OF what the
President had said 10 her, as he had 80
biah a regard for the man and for the dig
ni,y Of the Office be filled that she knew he
would think that she had not shown proper
respect 20 either by receiving the Presi-
dents attentions until ne had proposed
marriage TO her, and then leaving him In
so iiippant way.
A PERSISTENT LOVER.
But the wooer OF lofty station did not
tarTy long i'm recalling himself % the mind
OF the pretty coquette. and the very next
morning sent note by his special messen.
ger BOY 20 Miss Gardner at the National
Hotel, where she was saying with her
father and sister, Her father noticed that
she received note from the President.
but when he asked her about 1t the Young
girl eyaded direct answer as to its real
purpori, and merely said that in this note
The President inquired about her health
ard expressed the hope that she would not
fail 20 attend the fSte on the Princeton,
which was TO occur few d9ys later, with
her father and sister.
TIE FATAL THR.
Mr., Gardiner went on this fatal eXcur-
sion with both his daughters. As viii be
remembered. the steamer Princeton TOOK
mon that excursion one Of the most dis
tiugui,hcd parties that ever went on a SINH
lnr trio on the bToid-breasted Potomac.
The President and bis Cabinet and many
amy and navy officers and noted civilians
and their families were on the man-of-war.
OF the terrible shock caused the gay party
o<f t1.oy haA mi q
ton in the cabin, and when the time for
return to Washington was at hand, the
Stockton gun burst and instantly killed six
persons, all OF whom bad near relatives on
The vessel, most readers OF newspapers are
familiar.
The writer has been told the story by
four or five OF the survivors Of that tragic
trip In addition to Mrs. Tyler. The vic
tins OF the explosion were Mr.. Gardiner
Of GARDENERS Island, then a prominent
man in the State Of New York, who had
been member Of the State Senate; two
members Of the Cabinet, Upshur and Gill
ner: Commandant KenDon. OF the Wash
ingion nayy.yard; Virgil MaXey, lately
returned from n foreign mission, and
fte mage who had brought the note
OF invitation from the President 10
Miss Gardiner. But that the President
was lingering at the moment OF the en-
plosion By Miss Julia Gardeners side In
another part Of the vessel 1t was thought
Mt the time that he also would have been
ON deck when the gun exploded and would
have been killed. The pleasure party be-
came funeral assemblage, and in the East
room OF the White House. where only six
DAYS before the gay throng had attended
the Presidents levee. and where he had
poured words OF love into Miss Gardi-
ner's ear. were placed six cottns In row
containing the dead bodies OF the victims
OF the explosion. The funeral, which was
a most noteworthy one, occurred on March
2d.
TIE PRESIDENTS CHIvALRY.
President Tyler had the cruelty
daughters Of Mr.. Gardiner taken from the
steamer to the Executive Mansion. and his
attentions to both were then as delicate as
they were constant, and he became their
chief comforter in their terrible affection.
In speaking Of this time Mrs. Tylers eyes
always oil with tears and her voice trcm-
bles. The President did not again speak to
her OF marriage until two months later.
BY that time she was In her mothers
house in New York, and just at
the time she received his letter ask
ing her to be bis wife the remains OF
her father. which had been temporarily in-
tered In Washington, were brought TO the
family residence In New York on their way
20 their final resting-pllcc. Still doubling
and hesitating as TO what her own heart
would bid her reply 10 the Presidents
question II she would become his wife,
though conscious that feeling Of tender
ness toward him who had been so tender In
her hour OF grief was constantly growing
In her breast, she sought counsel in prayer.
She was not then, as now, Catholic. She
crept from her bed in the darkness and
stole down stairs alone Ia the dark and
prayed that her choice might be wisely
made. The answer came AZ Ieace peryaded
her heart, and she never again doubted.
Her conscience was sensitive until that
time, rem embeIing how so short time be.
fore her fathers tragic death she had con-
esaled from him her venerable suitor's first
proposal Of marriage, and had, when the
noie above mentioned from the President
was brought her In Washington the day
after the White House levee, eyaded her
fathers inquiries ss to Its true meaning.
Up 10 this time death had seemed 10 give
none but evil omeGs TO the cour'ship be-
gun and continued in the midst OF TRACE
dies. Afterward every omen was bright
one.
The secret rs 10 the engagement was well
kept, both the President and Miss Card.
nsr agreeing 10 have no confidan.s. But
one member OF bis family knew OF the day
fixed for his marriage. The lady's imme-
date family, who do not seem to have given
any interviews 10 the newspapers; Bishop
onderdonk, who performed the ceremony,
and The liseryman who furnished the car
- a.