The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-03-09
A Romance that Grew out of the
Loss of the Oregon.
washington Despatc

Among the sight-seers at the Capital the
other day many noticed robust, typical
Englishman, who escorted, with decidedly
proprietary air. pretty little blonde. whose
| blushing cheeks and downcast blue eyes. no
| less than the tell-tale newness of her apparel
| proclaimed her to be a bride. The young
| people were married last week, after court
| ship as romantic as one often reads OF in real
| life and are now on their wedding tour. The
young mans name is Ashley, and four years
ago he was the fayorite son of wealthy
English squire. He was unlucky enough,
however, TO incur his fathers dlspleasure by
forming an attachment for young lady in a
neighboring town, who, while possessing
beauty and refinement, could boast but very
little in the way of worldly goods
By the death of near relative Ashley in
herited few thousand dollars, and seeing
little opportunity in England of ever being
able to marry and support the lady of his
choice he bade ais sweetheart fearful fare
well, and after an interchange OF VOWS to be
forever faithful to her sailed for America to
try his fortune. Arriving in this country he
sought out thriving western city, and by
energy and perseverance succeeded in estab-
fishing fourishing business on modest
SCALE
For many months he and his English
sweetheart corresponded regularly, but one
day de failed to receive the usual letter from
across the seas, and when, after a week or
so, it finally arrived without explanation as
to the delay, in fit of anger he penned a
reply which he would gladly have recalled an
hour afterwards, when it was too late. 10
this he received no answer, and though heap
ing reproaches ON himself for his hasty act
he never wrote again. But the image of the
sweet little English girl was craven ON his
heart.
The steamship Oregon went down at about
this time and a small sailing vessel, the Pc
trel, bound from New York for Liverpool
for delivery to recent purchasers, picked up
small water-SOaked mailbag that had evil
IDENTIFY been floating about for some days.
The master of the vessel opened bag but
found little else than mass of pulp. One
letter only was preserved enclosed In stout
envelope, which bore family legible super
scription. The letter with memorandum
attached, was placed by the captain in
small portable writing-case and in the course
of few days entirely forgotten.
Arriving at Liverpool the Petrol was turned
over to her new owners. The captain and
crew were reshipped and the little vessel
sailed for Cape Town, Africa, where she was
put in the coasting trade. While on shore,
after a long cruise, the master of the vessel
was taken with fever and died. His effects
were sent to Liverpool by his employers, and
thence to his wife in New Bedford, Mass.
Upon examining them the captains widow
found the water-stained letter which had
been picked up by the Petrol, and after care
fully sealing it she conscientiously mailed it
tO llS auuT6SS: 'GeOIBe ASnl6y, ESP, rdrSO,
Dakota, United States of America"
The missive that had travelled for months
in foreign seas was from Ashley little fiancee
and when he read the loving words in which
she explained her apparent neglect all his old
passion for the fair English girl came back,
and within an hour he had sent spinning
along the Atlantic cable message for which
he paid S18 and considered it money well
spent. 1t found her constant to the old love
and in a few days she was upon the broad
ocean, bound for America. Ashley met her
in New York and after the joy of the first
meeting had in measure subsided they
were quietly married on Saturday last. They
Florida, where the honeymoon will be spent.