The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-03-10
ROMANCE OF THE WAR.
Years of Faithful Waiting Rewarded
at Last by Wedding.
E1ro-, the IV1ebf,ofo,, Critic

at Last by a Wedding.
From the Washington Critic.
All the world loves q lover, and every
woman enjoys reading a real romance. One
that is worth mentioning eliminated in
Washington just week or two ago. Way
back in the days when the yanks and the
Johnnies fought for precedence in the
Shenandoah Valley, about the time the gal
liant Sheridan took his famous ride, there
lived in Winchester town hospitable fam
lily of good, royal ''rebels' by the name Of
Chapman. The Chapman house during the
season of conn aratlve peace entertained
the boys from both sides OF the divided
house. Among those who were received
and cared for was a dangerously sick boy, a
Yankee and so it CHANGED that the ma lden
landlady took upon herself the entire
weight of the nursing. Though the sick
soldier was a mere lad, and handsome Julia
Chapman was even then beyond the early
bloom of her girlhood, the old story was
repeated, and the invalid fell madly in love
with the charming nurse.
But the wooing did not go smoothly, for
the lady, sensible as well as competent,
brought him out of the dangerous fever,
but she gave the suit no further encourage
ment. The soldier reported for duty, the
air grew black with smoke of battle, the
fortunes of war soon separated the pair, and
the struggle ended in defeat of the south
Among the many southern women who
were left dependent were the Chapman sis
| tiers. The elder sister finally secured the 30
sition of housekeeper at the Eobit house
wherr, for twenty-five years, she has served
the public and her employer faithfully and
we'll The younger, Julia, the heroine, re-
manned at home until six years ago, when
| she Joined her sister ct the hotel aud supple
mented her work as director of kitchen and
scrubbing maids
| And where was the soldier lover2 This is
the romance of it. Though duty and her
refusal had separated them, it did not
| weaken the soldiers love. He wrote to her
! frequently and ferventy, and she, while
still obdurate, was touched by his faithful
ness and continued TO read and responded
| to his letters. She war ended, the soldier
remained in the service. He had uothIng to
bring him back. The years rolled on until
twenty-five had been set down to he credit
Of the still waiting knight.
One day not many weeks ago the LADY re-
Tented. Who will ever know why, or be
able to understand a womans argument in
such a case! The excuses she ga him for
| delay, the excuses she made to herself for
| her final weakness, no one may conjecture.
| But whatever form of rec onciiaUion or
compromise was effected, a few weeks ago ID
| Is SAID that an army officer suddenly re-
signed in the West, and immediately after
handsome man, with soldierly bearing,
with sllvered nair, but youthfully -beaming
face. reached Washington.
A few days more aid Miss Chapman's
| little circle of friends and acquainJances
were astonished and rejolced to learn that
not seven but nearly twenty-seven years Of
service had cen rewarded. Even people
who regard marriage as a failure must &C.
| knowledge the success Of some courtships
and, how ever skeptical and grabbed, one
could not but congratulate Mr. andMrs. john
Tonnicliffe, and hope that the happiness SC
long denied may all be crowded into the
remaining years OF married life.