The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1890-08-13
A. II. STEPHENS ROMANCE.
The Fascinating Belle he Fell in Love
with at Sight.

with at Sight.
There was always much speculation
during the life of Alexander II. H.Stephens
why he never married. nor did this
speculation cease after he had gone to
the grave a celibate. Johnson &
Brownies Life of Alexander II. Steph-
ems" gives one version, and the News.
upon the authority of the lady interest
ed, gives another version. but as to what
is the best founded. or whether there is
some foundation for both versions, the
reader must draw his own conclusions.
The life of Alexander H. Stephens"
alluded, to says that when Mr.. Stephens
was a teacher at Madison, Morgan
County. Ca, in the fall of 1882, he lost
his heart. 1t says "One little episode
not noted here, or even stated by him
until nearly forty years after this oc-
currence. we may briefly advert to.
One OF the pupils at this school was a
young girl, lovely both in person and
character, from whom the young teach
er learned more than is to be found in
the books, and whom he grew to love
with depth Of affection all the greater
that it was condemned to hopelessness
and silence The poor student, with no
prospect of worldly advancement, the
invalid, who looked forward to an early
death, must not think of marrying
must not speak of love. And he never
spoke of it to her nor to any until
a generation had passed, and then to
but one friend"
The other version of Mr.. Stephens's
early love islocated in Savannah, which
he visited early in the fall of 1884, and
the authority of the story is Mrs. Caro-
line Regina Maria Smith, lineal de-
scendant of Lord Richard Percival
Bland. Mrs. Smith says that when Mr..
Stephens was in Savannah he met her
self, then the wife of Edward Thomas
Courtenay. her unmarried sister, Belle,
and their father, and after the meeting
Mr.. Stephens asked permission to pay
his addresses to Mr.. BANDS daughter.
Mr.. Bland, on his return home, related
to his daughter Belle what Mr.. Steph-
ems had said, and she verv pet ttishly
said that she would not receive Mr.
Stephens for a suitor, Whereupon MIR.
Courtenay spoke up and said Il think
my wife is the younger looking and the
most handsome, and I would not be
surprised if Mr.. Stephens fell in love
with my wife instead of you, Belle"
The father of the ladies, patting his
married daughter on the shoulder in an
affectionate way, said II would not
be surprised if Courtenay is right; I
shall see Mr.. Stephens and bring him
around to tea this evening, and then
we will find out"
Later in the afternoon Mr.. Bland
met Mr.. Stephens in the office of Mr..
McLaWs and asked him to which of the
ladies he referred, and Mr.. Stephens
described the personal appearance OF
Mrs. Courtenay and remarked that she
was the only lady be had ever met and
loved at first tsight; to which confession
Mr.. Bland made reply that the lady in
question had been married. Mr.
Stephens rejoined that be did not care
if she had been married; that he desired
to renew his request to pay his address
es to her, and then Mr.. Bland said
My daughters husband is living. and
you see how vain your request is" A
shade of pain passed over the face of
Mr.. Stephens, and the invitation to tea
was declined.-Savannah News.