Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1888-02-24
ROmances in EIigl, Tife.

! don't dare to tell who they are, but there
is as pretty little romance connected with
two we'll known society ladies, whose names
are often seen in print. as novelist ever
put in book.
In her girlhood the first of these lived in o
homely cottage On the outskirts of New
port, the famous watering place of the rich
and fashions able. Bg her neighbors she was
known as ''the farmers pretty daughter" ;"
He titled the soil, furnished the big hotels
with its products, while she mlked the COWS
and picked the berries that supplied his Gus.
toners. The cottage WAS favorite stopping
place for ladies in driving, for they were al
ways sure of glass of cool, freae milk and
a luscious dish of fruit.
One day the old farmer forgot TO leave 8
baaket of strawberries that had baen order
ed by rich old eristocrat nemed-well, call
| her Mrs. Van Brunt, that's near enough
and on his return home told his daughter to
| take them to her rooms at the hotel. Kate
was at first reluctant, for she was well bred,
proud, and thought herself as good as any
body, money or no money.
She went, however, was cordially received
and left not only the fruit but an impression
| that changed the current of her life. Mrs.
| Van Brunt had young son, handsome,
clever, and with heart like photograph
plate In the conversation that followed,
the wit, beauty and sparkle of tho pretty
country girl was a revelation, 1t was an
agreeable interruption to the monotony of
! their fashionable lives,
Aft this interview, Mrs Van Brunt was
frequent caller at Little Cottage and as
! hr cfolr bair
who never failed TO insist on seeing "the
young lady who prepared such delicious
berries ana milk"
/ On one of these occasions Mrs. Van Brunt,
| who had become very fond OF the farmers
daughter, asked her if she would not like to
90 abroad and be her guest for couple of
months. OF course, in any ambitious girls
mint: there could be but one answer. and,
after consulting with her parents, she pro-
nounced on unmissakable yes. All the ar
rangements being made, the trio, mother,
son and rustic belle started on the trip.
From the very first there was favor of
love in the atmosphere. Kate suffered
most at least appeared TO, for she knew
there was millions in it," To the young
fellow, who was somewhat tired OF ordinary
| hlrlatious with the city girls, it was an
agreeable episode in his usually sluggish
| life. For while the OLD lady was blind.
She bad set her heart on high matrimonial
alliance in another quarter, and did not
Dir am of danger as an outcome OF the gen.
erous friendship she had shown the girl
Every day, however, strengthened the init
macy Of the young couple and complicated
the meshes of the web that Cupid was weav-
ing They became almost inseparable,
traveiing acQuaintance5 looked upon them
as hettothed, and finally the son frankly
! told his mother that he mad MADE up MS
I mind to get married.
! The news came like g thunder clap out Of
q clear sky, and the storm that followed
shook up the old aristocrat to such degree
| that sho threatened to disinberit him. Moth
| ing remained but TO return home as quickly
us possible and send the girl back TO her milk
pane and COVE. This was done, but shortly ats
ter reaching New York the young man ,wor-
ried oy the opposition ofhis mother, was ta-
ken i'll. The illness became so serious that his
aflieuced determined to hasten to his side.
| She called at the house, but was refused ad-
mission. Again and again che applied TO
see her beloved with the same result, until
one day, meeting the mother by accident,
! she confessed that she was the affianced wife
of her son and demanded to see him as q
right The latter was now at the point OF
death, paralyZed and unconscious, and the
proud aristocrat's heart relented. Possibly
it was with the hope that the woman he
loved best might be the means of restoring
! him to health. But it was too late. No
sign Of recognition occurred, and on the fol-
/ lowing day he died.
In her grief she prayed forgiveness for the
wrong she had done, and folded the country
pirI to her bosom as an adopted daughter.
As such che was received into the family,
the portion belonging to the dead heir was
settled upon her, and in time che became a
central figure in New York's best society.
Two or three years afterward she became
the wife of foreign diplomatist. and now
vibrates between the two continents, enter.
tains and is regally entertained, and occu-
pies sphere to which she would IN any
event, be entitled by virtue of her true WON.
anhood.-NeU York correspondence.