Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-08-11
ALEX. H. STEPHENS ROMANCE.
A Georgia Woman's Story Of Why the
Southern Statesman Never Married.

From the Savannah News.
There was always much speculation during
the life of Alexander II. Stephens why be never
married; nor did this speculation cease after he
had gone 10 the grave a celibate. Johnson d
Browns History of Alexander H. Stephens
gives one version and the Morning Ne,os, upon
the authority OF the lady interested, gives an
other version, but a. to which is the best
founded or whether there is some foundation
for both versions the reader must draw his or
her own conclusions.
The life of Alexander H. Stephens alluded to
says that when Mr., stephens was teacher at
Madison, Morgan county, Ga, in the fall of
1892, 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
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 . depth of
| affection all the greater that 1t 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 any until i generation had passed and then to
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 Caroline Regina Maria Smith, a
lineal descendant 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 UNI
married sister. Belle. and their father in this
city, and after tue meeting Mr.. Stephens
asked permission to pay his addresses
father of the then Mrs. Courtenay,
on his return home related to his daughter
! Belle what Mr.. Stephens had said. and she very
pcttshly said that she would not receive MIR.
| Stephens for sutton, whereupon Mr.. Courte-
nay spoke up and said: II think my wife is the
| younger looking and the most handsome, and
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
II would not be surprised If Co9rtenay isn't
| 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 ofsthe ladies' he referred,
and Mr.. Stephens in reply described the per-
sonal appearance Of Mrs. Courtenay, and re-
marked that she was the only lady he had ever
met and loved at first sight; to which confes-
sion Mr.. Bland made reply that the
lady in question had been married. MIR.
stephens ,rejoined that he did not care
desired to renew his request to pay his ad-
dresses to her, and then Mr.. Bland, finding
that young Stephens was ignorant OF the fact
that Mr.. Courtenay was living, said: MY
| daughters husband is living and you see how
vain your request is" shade of pain passed
over the face of Mr.. Stephens, and the invita-
| TO ten was, Of course, declined.
| Many years afterward, whom Mr.. Stephens
| occupied an eminent position in Congress, q
group of ladies In this city were discussing, in
the presence Of Mrs. Smith. the question as 70
! why Mr.. Stephens had never married, and q
Mrs. Patterson spoke up and said that the rea-
son Mr. Stephens had never married was be-
cause he had loved where he was not privileged
to ask for love In return, and the subject was
too sacred for him ever to disclose the name OF
the lady. Mrs. Smith says she could then have
revealed the secret, but did not. and it is now
given to the press for the first time.
The lady alluded to above was a vivacious
South Carolina belle, and was educated a,
Elizabethtown, N. j., ana carried Off the hon
ors OF her class. Returning she was married
in this city in the spring Of 1924 Her father
resided the greater part OF the time on hi
plantation at Woodlawn, eight miles from
Bluffton. Miss Bland was a schoolmate of Julis
Palmer, who married King Philip Of France
and the graceful dancing Of Miss Bland at
tracted the attention Of the then heir appar
ent, Who requested his fancce TO introduce him
to the lady whom he observed picking up
bouquet from the floor and replacing it on hel
bosom as she went through the evolutions o.
the dance. Mrs. Smith recalls the reminis
cences of dancing with the royal gentleman oil
France with apparent pleasure.