Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-04-15
A BELLIES HISTORY
Brought Out BY a Suit IN
Oregon.
A MARRIAGE AND SEPARATION
Mrs. McCalla's Father Deeds His
Property Away from His
Daughter.

Associated Press DISPATCHES to the HERALD.
In the days of '5440 or fight" in the
early forties, during the dispute between
Great Britain and the United States as to
the northwestern boundary line, Congress
passed law granting a full section OF
land in the country now called Oregon,
to any citizen of Great Britain who
would settle in the country. If he were
married man his wife might take up q
like amount of the soil. The object was
to induce immigration to the territory
claimed by Great Britain, so as to hold
it for the United States in case of dis
pute. The matter was amicably settled,
and it is jocularly reported in the Web
foot land to-day that one of the things
which aided in the settlement in favor of
the American claim was report made
by Sir James Douglas, who
was appointed a Commissioner by
the British Grown to inquire into the
value of the territory in dispute. This
report rected that the country was not
worth the profane expression of an
inebriated performer on the violin, and
the proof of this was that, while the
rivers were full of salmon, the fish had
not sense enough to "rise to fly"
The inducement in the way of land
drew great many steady pioneers into
the territory, and among those who
came early was young man named
James B. Stephens. He took up GAO
acres of land on the east side of the
Willamette river just across the stream
from where the city of Portland was
afterward founded. Stephens was q
man OF marked force of character, but
rough and eccentric, pleasant enough to
those he liked, but not bit so to any
one who incurred his displeasure. He
was very self-willed, and never went out
of his way to avoid fight.
STEPHENS FAMILY.
BY the years that closed the decade of
the fifties, Stephens had grown up around
him on his farm little family compris-
ing daughter and son. The girl was
markedly handsome, of rare social quail
tiles, a great belle and the admired of all
admirers of the male sex. Stephens
was we'll to do, and passionately fond of
1.-The girl, whose every whim he took de-
light in gratifying.
The State Insane Asylum was at East
Portland, and Stephens farm was then
subdivided and made an addition to the
town. DIR. Hawthorne, one of the most
genial men the sun ever rose on, was in
charge of the institution, and he had as
his assistant young man named Loryea.
This one was of the grand
old Hebrew race, but much
above the average of them in stature.
Loryea was nearly, perhaps quite, six
feet high, apd when young had the p jse
of an Apollo. He was remarkably
handsome man. He had tale 1T of rare
order, and gave promise Of rising to great
distinction. The asylum and the
Stephens grounds joined. The hand
some young doctor, and the pretty belle
often met in the roads or walks over
hung with tall pines, or in the parlors of
some friends where they trod together
the giddv mazes of waltz or quadrille.
Things went with them literally merry
as marriage bell, for about the end of
this decade the young people were duly
married. Nor was there one voice in all
Portland that was not raised in cordial
congratulation, for all looked upon the
union as likely to prove happy one, and
all thought the young couple about the
most fortunate in the land.
Mr.. Stephens was particularly pleased,
for Loryea was looked upon as rising
man. He was, moreover, man of ex-
ceptionally pleasant address. His friends
were legion among all classes of the
people. The father of the bride gave
them ten acres of beautiful land right on
the banks of the river; charming home
was built on this, with stable and all
other out-offices on magnificent scale.
The grounds were laid out with much
taste and adorned with the choicest
shrubbery.
MRS. LoRYEA's SURROUNDINGS.
The house was most elaborately and
perfectly furnished. And the Loryeas
did not propose to let their light lie per-
du beneath any bushel. Their home was
the scene of gayety and pleasure
to such degree that an invitation to it
was sought as one to the mansion of one
of the leaders of the 400 in New York is.
So all went along most joyously. The
husband and wife were particularly de-
voted to each other. In due time boy
was born and named Jimmy S., after his
grandfather, old man Stephens. Then
came second son, and finally about the
end of the decade of the sixties came
daughter. She was called Laura, and
grew up to be most promising girl. She
was markedly handsome, with the olive
skin, and great brown eyes of her father.
In the mean time Stephens son
had died. He was drowned while
out boating, if the writer's mem
ory serves him correctly. 1t would
seem as if there was everything to connect
the chain of the two people in the closest
manner. She was now the sole heiress
to an immense fortune. Loryea was
prospering, aud here we're three promis-
ing children to make the luxurious home
happy.
About this time Mrs. Loryea developed
some queer traits of character. She al
ways dressed we'll, and she seemed to
have all that heart could desire in this as
in all other things. But her craze for
dress seemed Unsuitable. The store
keepers told strange stories of her fire.
quenting their establishments and select
ing the choicest fabrics, which she had
sent to her house. Her taste was simply
faultess in these matters, and she selected
the richest stuffs. With the dress pat
merit in all cases, gloves, nets and para
soils to match. 1t was almost daily oc-
currence for her to make some purchase
OF more or less magnitude. But the
strange thing was that she never had
any OF these costumes made up. They
were put away in the drawers of bureaus,
locked up in trunks and slowed away in
closets, IorVoa paid for them all and