Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-08-09
NO MORE NAILS TO BE RECEIVED.
A. H. sTepHsNs's ROMANCE.
The Fascinating Belle He Fell In Love
with at Sight.
tSAYanndn ktA-l NsWs.i
-. ......L .,~no.to<,

Savannah (Gal News.l
There was always much speculation dur
ing the life of Alexander III. Stephens why
he never married. nor did this speculation
cease after he had gone to the grave cell
bate. johnson d Brownies Life OF Alex.
ander n. Stephens" gives one version, ana
the Ne,cs, 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.
THE life of Alexander III. Stephens" al
luded to saws that when Mr.. Stephens was
a teacher at Madison. Morgan county, Ga.
in the fall Of 1892 he lost his heart. IL 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 TINS school was
Young girl. lovely both in person and cha
racter. 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 IL
was condemned TO hopelessness and ST.
lence. The poor student, with no pros
pect Of worldly Advancement, the Invalid,
who looked forward to an early death,
must not think # marrying-must not
speak of love. And he never spoke OF u
TO her nor to any until a generation had
w.
The other version of Mr.. Stephens's early
love is located in Savannah, which he visit.
ed in the fall of 1884 and the authority OF
the story is Mrs Caroline Regina Mara
Smith. a lineal descendant of Lord Richard
Percival Bland. Mrs. Smith says that when
Mr.. Stephens was in Savannah he met her.
self, then the wife of Edward lh0mas
Courtenay. her unmarried sister, Belle
and their father. and alter the meet
oh mi :
TO paw his addresses to MIR. Bland $
daughter. Mr.. Bland. on his return
home. related TO his daughter Belle
what Mr.. Stephens had said, and she very
pettishly said that she would not receive
MIR. Stephens for a sutton, whereupon Mr..
Courtenay spoke up and said: Il think
my wife Is the younger looking ana the
most handsome. and | would not be sur
prlsed If Mr.. Stephens fell IN love Win
my wife instead of you. Belle" The Ia,
Their of the ladies. patting his married
daughter on the shoulder IN an affectionate
way, said: IL would not be surprised II
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 10 which of the ladies' he
referred. ana Mr.. Stephens described the
personal appearance of Mis-. Courtenay
and remarked that she was the only lazy
he had ever met and loved at hrst sight;
10 which confession Mr.. Bland made reply
that the lady in question had been mar;
ried. Mr. Stephens reioined that he did
not care if she had been married; that he
desired to renew his request 70 pay his IL
dresses 10 her. and then Mr.. Bland said !:
My daughters husband is living, ana
you see how vain your request IS" a
shade of pain passed over the face of Mr.
Stephens, and the invitation TO tea was de-
.1fna1