The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1890-12-03
LOVED AND LOST.
Why Alexander III. stephens Lived and
Died Bachelor.


There was always much speculation
during the life of Alexander II.
Stephens why he never married, nor
did this speculation cease after he had
gone to the grave celibate. johnson
& Brownies Life of Alexander Fl.
Stephens gives one version, and the
Neaos, upon the authority of the lady
interested, gives another version, but
as to which is the best founded, or
whether there is some foundation for
both versions. the reader must draw
his own conclusions.
The Life of Alexander III. Stephens, -
alluded to, says that when Mr.. Stephens
was teacher at Madison. Morgan
county, Ga. 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
occurrence. 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
teacher learned more than is to be
found in the books, and whom he
grew to love with a 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
early love is located in Savannah
which he visited in the fall of 1884, and
the authority of the story is Mrs. Caro-
line Regina Maria Smith, a lineal
descendant of Lord Richard Perciyal
Bland. Mrs. Smith SAYS that when
Mr.. Stephens was in Savannah he met
herself, then the wife of Edward
Thomas Courtenay, her unmarried
sister, Belle, and their father, and after
the meeting Mr.. Stephens asked per-
mission to pay his addresses to MIR.
BANDS daughter. Mr.. Bland, on his
return home, related to. his daughter
Belle what Mr.. Stephens had said, and
she pettishly said that she would not
receive Mr.. Stephens for suitor.
,whereupon Mr.. Courtenay spoke up
and said: 81 think my wife is the
younger looking and the most hand
some. and l 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 daugh-
ter on the shoulder in an affectionate
way, said: Il would not be surprised
if Courtenay is right; 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 he had ever met
and loved at first sight; to which con-
fession Mr.. Bland made reply that the
lady in question had been married.
Mr.. Stephens rejoined that he did not
care if She had been married; that he
desired to renew his request to pay his
addresses to her, and then 1r, Bland
said: my daughters husband is liv-
ing. and you see how vain your request
is" A shade of pain passed over the
face of Mr.. Stephens, and the invita-
ton to tea was declined.-Sava'a,aah
(Gd.) NeaUS.