Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1888-05-09
Miseeltaneuns &eaaima.
THE FAIR AND TICKLE FLORENJE.

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THE FAIR AND TICKLE FLORENCE.
THEisTORY OF MISS FLORENCE LIT
TIES DOUBLEMARRIAG TOLD
BYAUGUsTUS MINTz.
From the Charlotte Chronicle, May IL
From the many reports in circula-
tion through the press as to my mar
riage to Miss Florence Little, I am
prompted, in justice to myself, to
make true statement of the facts.
Ihave always known her, from
which my acquaintance ripened and
matured into love that was no boy
ish Whim. Miss Little is of q respect
able family, a woman of beauty and
many attractions. She was reared
an orphan, which heightened and ex-
cited my sympathy, and from our
engagement, one year ago, all went
well and / felt there was bright
futnfe fol, me, which was inspiring
and an incentive to every act of my
liz Alas the heart I believed SO
true and gentle, proved false, as my
story will relate. Not word ever
fell from her lips, nor an act of hers
led me to believe my love was not
reciprocated, and I always felt that I
was in the enjoyment of that conf
dence, and that I possessed the love
ofone of whom I was 80 little worthy.
DR.. Atkinson, in the meantime,
paid frequent visits to his uncle,
Allen B. Crosby. of Blacks, where
Miss Little spent part of her time
with her sister, Mrs. Jacob B. Ross.
When they became acquainted his
attention to her seemed to be no
more than politeness would require.
On the 28th of January I received
a note from Miss Little, from Gaff-
ney City, saying she must see me at
once. I could not refuse such sum-
mons from her, and on the next day
I met her at Mr.. Bryan Bonner's
and went with her to Mrs. Mary
Lockhart's, her sister, who lived a
few miles in the country. She SEEM
ed sad all the while; but soon those
black eyes softened into liquid beau
ties, when she sobbed aloud and
said: 1.-THE task is too great to tell
you. I am to be married to anoth-
er ~ when her weeping grew more
bitter. She again spoke, saying:
"Can I be the instrument of viola
ting an obligation which has been
held so sacred that I have felt our
happiness and success in life depend
ed upon it? Can I break the gold
en- link? Dear Gus, forgive me. L
only am to blame. I don't know
myself! My wrong I cannot account
for. Forgiveness from you will
again make me your happy Flor
ence."
This was 80 astounding that it
dumbfounded me. When I sufi-
ciently recovered myself asked who
my rival was. She said: "Dr. At
kinson, of Chester. My ties to you
are the Oldest" she reiterated, "for-
give me. 1 liked all men that
loved"
I felt myself kneeling at the shrine
to pay homage to the power of love.
The link, suddenly broken, was sud-
denly welded in fervent love.
I told her the only obstacle that
had been to our marriage before this
was my youthfulness and want of
completing my education. We then
discussed the feasibility of clandes-
tinayharriage,. until this could be ac-
compiished, which was agreed upon,
when I returned to Blacks with the
full purpose of revealing my plans to
my parents. But the idea of con-
sulting them on such q course, or
even of marrying at all at my age,
and not at all prepared for the ardu-
Gus duties of life, to break such SUBJ
ject the kind ears of my parents,
weighed so heavily that my heart
failed within me. On the 30th Of
January I received note again to
come to my broken-hearted Flor
ence; come, and come at once; "Dr.
Atkinson will be here on the even
ing train"
I, with my friend J. D. Goforth,
in q vehicle with splendid pair of
horses, drove against time, reaching
Gaffney City at 10 o'clock A. NJ. |
addressed a note, from John Nc
Keon's Hotel, to Miss Little at the
residence of Mrs. Lumsden, saying
that would see her. When l met
her in the parlor at Mrs. Lumsden's,
with a pair of horses at the gate, I
asked her to take ride with ME.
She said: "Gus, I have just been ad-
vised by lady friend not to ride out
with you, but I will 60 at all haz-
ards" Seizing her hat we were soon
in the vehicle and fast left Gaffney
City behind US. We drove around
the classic hills of Limestone Springs,
this once beautiful summer resort,
until it grew late, discussing the sit
uation, she all the while avowing her
devotion to me and that every throb
of her heart gave me its genuinness
and sincerity. She remarked as we
approached where the roads separat
ed, where the final conclusion was
to be had and the final step taken:
"This left hand leads to Gaffney City
and the right to Rev. Mr.. Carter's."
suggested the road to Gaffney
City was the Atkinson road and the
road to the Rev. Mr.. Carter's was the
Mintz road, placing the lines in her
hands, at the same time saying:
"Drive the road of your CHOICE"
when she gracefully reined the team
into the Mintz road. After driving
a short pace l seized upon the lines
of the fiery steeds that then nervous
ly felt the bit and seemed to be in
spired with that same spirit and de-
termination of the happy couple be-
hind them, and drove rapidly to the
Rev. Mr.. Carter's, where / revealed
to the reverend gentleman the object
ofmy unceremonious call. When he
consented, on leaving the house he
said to Mrs. Carter:
II am going out to kill snakes"
The old lady having her suspi-
cions, followed close by and lay in
ambush and was a witness to all the
proceedings.
While in the buggy, just at dark,
the Rev. j. G. Carter performed the
marriage ceremony between myself
and Miss Florence Little. At this
moment nature very appropriately
drew its dark curtain around as the
clandestine marriage was performed,
when the queenly orb arose in the
eastern horizon and threw its silvery
rays around our feet and lit our dis
NAL and rugged way back to Mrs.
Mary Lock hart's. l took this as