Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1890-11-06
HE LOVED AND LOST.
Alexander 81. stepfisns Lived and Died !
Bachelor. ..Es

Bachelor. a4
There was always much speculation
Turing the life of Alexander 81. Stephens
Why he never married, nor did this spec
ulation cease after he had gone to the
grave, celibate. Johnson & Brownies
Life of Alexander q. Stephens" gives
one version, and the News, upon the
authority Of the lady interested, 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.
1.-THE Life of Alexander 81. Stephens"
alluded to, says that when Mr.. Stephens
was teacher at Madison, Morgan Coun-
ty, Ga, in the fall of 1882, he lost his
heart. It says: Zone 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 young girl,
lovely both in person and character,
from whom the young teacher learned
more than is to bel found in the boOks,s
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 thing Of marrying-must not speak
of love. And he never spoke Of it toher
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 or the story is Mrs. Caroline
Regina Maria Smith, a lineal descend
ant Of Lord Richard Percival 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 permission to pay his
! addresses to Mr.. BANDS daughter. Mr..
Bland, on his return home, related to his
daughter Belle what Mr.. Stephens had
said, and she pettishly said she would
mot receive Mr.. Stephens for sutton,
whereupon Mr.. Courtenay spoke up and
said: II 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, Belief 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; shall see Mr.. Stephens and
bring him around to tea this evening,
then we will find out"
: Later in the afternoon Mr.. Bland met
Mr.. Stephens in the Office of Mr.. Nc
Laws, and asked him to which of the
ladies he referred, and Mr.. Stephens de-
scribed the personal appearance of Mrs
Courtenay, and remarked that she was
the only lady he had ever metand loved
at first sight; to which confession Mr..
Bland made reply that the lady in ques.
ton had been married. Mr.. Stephens
reioined 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 Mr.. Bland said; my daugh-
ter's husband is living, and you see
how vain your request is" A shade Of
pain passed over the face of Mr.. Steph-
ems, and the invitation to tea was de.
clined. Savannah (Ga.) News.