Omaha daily bee., 1888-12-08
The Strange Romance of a Young
Episcopal Clergyman.
LOVED HER ONLY AS A MOTHER.
When tho Handsome Widow Christie
Proposed Rev. Auld Accepted, But
He Afterwards RenounCed
Her at the Altar.
Welded But No Wife.

| WlJcneu MN, anu IOrCeu nun 10 D9trOtH utll'
| self to her in 1887, Then he did not want to
marry her. and the widow sent to Bishop
Potter, who advised the young clergyman
to marry her. He did so, but before the
| ceremony solemn'y declared that he did not
| love her and that no would never allow her
| to enter his house.
Mrs. Emma Helen Christie is the hand
| some young widow of popular hardware
| merchant of Morrisana. She lives with her
| brother in a modest little house with pretty
| bay window, at No. Gil East One Hundred
| aud Fortieth street. Three doors further
down, in a similar house, at No sol, live the
Rev. II. f. Aud, the young rector of st.
Mary's, and his mother and Mrs. Christie
could see the clergyman every day reading in
his bay window, writing his sermons, aud
going out on his pastoral visits. 1t was in
the early spring when birds were beginning
to mate, that the widow thought that she
would seek religious consolation. She at
tended the lenten services. She embroidered
altar cloths and worked with her own fair
hands u pair of slippers and chest protector
for her pastor.
Mrs Auld, the mother of the rector, is a
handsome old lady, who lives only for her
son. 1t has been her boast that Harry thought
all women like his mother He had done good
work in the little parish, helped to settle a
church debt and preached the most charm
ing of sermons The clergyman's friends say
that the widow completely bewitched him.
She would command him to come to her. and
he would obey. She made him fetch and
carry and he was her most abiect slave, She
ran the church and inspired the sermons.
"She was determined to marry my SON." said
Mrs. Auld to IL friend yesterday. "She gained
the most marvellous influence over him. He
grew pale and thin. He feared her, and she
compelled him to do whatever she wished"
According to both parties, the affection was
purely of platonic nature: The attachment
cording to MIR. Auld's friends, the widow,
taking leap year by the forelock proposed
marriage. This was quite shock to MIR.
Aud, who had loved her as mother only.
She took him to st. Paurs church, corner of
One Hundred and Fortieth street and Third
avenue, however, requesting the clergyman
there to marry them. The reverend gentle
man refused on the ground that IL was Lent
Mrs. Christie then proposed solemn be
trothal, which was willingly entered into by
Mr. Aud, and all parties signed the agree
ment of betrothal as printed above.
The presiding clergyman gave the happy
lovers his benedction,, and all went
as merry as q wedding bell Mrs. Auld the
clergyman's mother, however, got wind of
the affair and questioned her son about his
engagement Then came the trouble. Mr..
Aud confessed to his mother that he did not
love his bride and that he would never
Mrs. Christie vowed she loved her future
husband dearly and would be his wife. To
Mr.. Auld's credit, he did everything to avoid
a scandal. He told Mrs. Christie that he
could never love her, or even respect her as
wife, but that If she insisted he would
marry her He resigned his parish, made
arrangements to go to another, and told her
that on his departure the ceremony would
be performed. Mrs. Christie, although the
betrothal had been kept secret felt
that she was compromised, and threat
ened legal proceedings. it the promised
marriage did not take place imme-
diately: In law, Mrs Christie held that she
was Mrs Auld and religious recognition
must be at once made MIR. Aud still hest
tating, Mrs. Christie appealed to Bishop
Potter, who summoned all parties to the case
before hearing him.
After hearing the evidence the bishop
wrote letter to MIR. Auld sympathizng with
him, but telling him he was bound to keep
his word and marry Mrs. Christie Bishop
Potter offered to transfer the young clergy
man to another parish and give him first
class recommendations. Last Wednesday
Mr. Aud, accompanied by friend, repaired
to the residence of Rev. H. S. Smith and the
marriage ceremony was performed. 1t was
q most dramatic affair.
renounced Mrs. Christie, saying: II will let
you be my wife only in name. will never
live with you. / will try and provide for you,
but you must never darken my threshold"
MIS- CHTlSIic was JuoI do cHupuhtlC Il
love him STILL" she cried, "and l marry him
simply for the love bear him."
The minister insisted on performing the
ceremony, and the unhappy twain were made
man ana wife.
Mrs Christie went back to her home and
Mr.. Auld rejoined his mother They have
never LAID eyes on each other since their wed
ding day. Bishop Potter, however, wrote a
kiuo letter to the unfortunate bridegroom
and told him he had behaved like an honor
nbp and saved the church from
DIAL.
Last night a reporter called on the Rev.
Mr.. Aud. He is young man, very delicate
and afflicted with a constant twitching of the
head. He was extremely nervous, and when
the reporter stated his mission, broke down
completely.
"I have tried so hard to do right" he al
most cried, ''There has been nothing wrong
between Mrs Christie and myself, and now
/ am ruined forever because l was weak and
foolish. | will only make this statement: 1
engaged myself solemnly to Mrs. Christie
and, according to my PROMISE lhave married
her. That Is all | have to say about ith
Mrs Aud, the mother of the reverend gen
tleman, also declined to make a statement
except to the effect that her son had been
prosecuted.
woman until she married him. My poor boy,
he thought cvery,woman like his mother. She
said she loved him, and now she makes pub
lie the engagement, which she had promised
10 keep Sccfet."
Mr. Aud, IN listening, was SO much af-
fected by the turn the matter had taken that
he began to weep. There is nothing more
for me to do but TO die" he said. MY career
is ruined can see the heading in the paper
tomorrow Another Minister Gone Wrong
and have peen SO innocent and tried to do
so much TO suppress the scandal"
- "How did this woman come to have such
an influence over yout asked the reporter.
M Aud and his mother both groaned in
answer. A family consultation was then
held and friend was called in, but they
would say no more.
When the reporter left the Aud family
| were still debating the great misfortune that
had come upon them.
The fair bride was next visited. After
| great deal OF ringing, gentleman In dream
robes made his appearance at an upper win
dow. "You cannot see Mrs. Auld, " he said,
| in reply TO the reporters question; "Dut you
| can see her husband. He lives three doors
| up the street; he does not stay here
From several people the reporter learned
| that the Rev. Mr.. Aud had been paying at
tention To tine fair widow for some time, and
that hIs love-mahing had been noticed by the
congregation.
Mrs. Christie is described as being most
charming woman and one who has a great
many admirers. There has never been any
gossip about her