Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1886-08-17
A Maine Romance.

s.Do you see that lady, looking into
. shop window. Just across the streetpn
said Lewiston. Me, merchant to re-
porter for the Journal of that city. The
scribe looked in the direction referred
10. and saw well-dressed lady of rath-
er distinguished appearance Of perhaps
IS, admiring one of the show-windows
in dry-goods store.
'sThe 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 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 fort
une, and that she should remain behind
and wait for his return. She made a
VOW that she would not marry for three
years, and If 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 country, and the lovers parted
Six months passed and the girl heard
not word from her lover. A year went
by, and no letter. The girl grew almost
distracted, for she came to the conclu-
sion 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 pay
ing his attentions to the lady, and final-
acly \
girl thought of her VOW and said no,
not until the three years is past The
second man urged her with all his pow
er 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 expira-
ton of the three years. Long before
this, she had supposed her lover dead.
The end Of the third year was draw
ing to a close, and she had promised
the ardent suitor, who had been paying
her every honor in his power for year
and a half, that when the time was up
she would marry him on the following
day, If her former lover did not return.
The day came, and the man did not re-
turn from China. On that very day the
wedding bells were rung, and they were
united in marriage. Hardly had the mar
riage ceremony been performed, when
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 bow
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 one word from his old
love for many years, and one day, mere
ly from curiosity, he addressed letter
to her brother, inquiring il she was
alive, and if so where she resided. He
received letter shortly after that she
had been widow for several years, and
was living near Portland. The gentle
man left for Portland on the next train,
and in less than weeks time they were
married. and to-day they are living hap
PLY together in the suburbs of Portland.