The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-06-17
AN OLD ROMANCE.
The Approaching Marriage of
Miss Lena Caldwell
RECALLS A VIRGINIA LOVE AFFAIR
In Her Family-A Strange Dream and What
Came it The Dashing Belle
and the Actor.

Especial to THE HERALD-EXaminer DiSpatch.l
NEW YORK, June 15.-The approaching nup
tials of Miss Lima Caldwell and the Baron
Zedtwitz, now the theme of clubroom and scci-
ETY. gossip recalls an unwritten romance in
the life of the fair fiancee's grandmother that
caused startling sensation in the fashionable
circles of Virginia more than sixty years ago.
Mary Carter Hall was the daughter of The
eminent DR.. Robert Hall, who married Byret
Carter, naughty beauty and the daughter Of
Colonel Charles Carter, Of Cleveland, sen f
the famous king Carter" of colonial history,
president of her malestys council at Williams
burg, and one of the ablest, wealthiest men and
most autocratic rulers of his time. With beauty
Of the rich brunette type, flashing eyes, dark
hair, delicate patrlclan features, graceful form
and stately pose, Maria Carter Halls youth
was unusually brilliant. She was married
to Ralph Wornely, q wealthy young Nlr-
ginia planter of an old name and family.
They lived happily for some years upon their
plantation when at middle age the husband
suddenly died While absent from home his wife
being strangely forewarned of the trouble
through dream. In a vision of restless sleep
she saw approaching a strange man, riding on
a white horse, with dark face and sable gar
ments who brought her letter. Day and night
passed but nothing uucanny had happened and
his wife was conquering her fears, when she
saw the apparitlon again. A moment Liter
servant entered to hand her q letter. The seal
was nelvously broken. She read the announce
ment OF her husbands death and with shrek
fell to the floor. The dream of a man riding on
the white horse was twice repeated in the same
family during the late war with the same re-
suits following. The wives were cousins, and
each was married to distinguished confederate
officers, one of whom was killed at the
battle of Pea Ridge, the other in cavalry
light at Brandy Station, Va, and left widow
with two young sons wealthy and in the very
zenith of her charms. Nine. Wormley after
time resumed again her sway as queen of so
ciety. After few years amid the gayeties of the
season there Shone upon the town bright the
atrlcal star. when the handsome young English
man, James CALDWELL stood upon the stage be-
fore the footlightS and a crowded audience Of
Fredericksburg's f. f. VS..
The play that night was Romeo and Juliet
and the young actor eXcelled in the portrayal of
its passion. There was sensation in the au-
dience when, during the death scene, Widow
Wormley sighed and suddenlylIainted. Friends
and admirers rushed to her aid with salts,
cologne and cold water, until helped to car
rage and quickly driven home. The widow and
actor net and loved, but all the ariStocratic
claims OF the WormleyS, Carriers and Byrds ar
rayed themselves in arms against the marriage.
One friend and relative with whom she had ever
been favorite, was true to her cause. He
was the nephew of Washington, Major Robert.
He pleaded passionately that he would attend
her marriage ceremony certain evening.
Her brother had refused to be present Not
many tears were Shed before cousin Robert con-
Sented. The clergyman of Lewis ST. George S
Episcopal church officiated at the ceremony and
with the exception ofMaiorLewis and afew other
gentlemen and the house keeper, no one else
was present. The wife insisted that her huS-
| band should abandon his profession and he be-
came FESTIVE under her imperious will. She
would not follow him and he could not be con-
| tent outside his profession, although he settled
| in New Orleans where the foundation of his
| fortune was laid. Unfortunately his wife dis
| liked the climate and city and spent most of her
| time at her Virginia home, where the two sons
| of her first marriage were growing to manhood.
Two children were born of her union with
| Mr.. Caldwell, the first a son, William Shakes
peare, and the second daughter, Sophie, both
of them inherited the beauty OF their parents
with hazel eyes, auburn hair, turning to chest
nut later on, and features perfectly formed.
| The career of William Shakespeare Caldwell
| is too well-known to need review; his financial
talent increasing the handsome fortune he in
herited, and afterwards enlarged by marriage
with the Kentucky heiress, Miss Eliza Brock
inridge. Sophia Caldwell, after her mothers
DIR. Dean, of Richmond, but her husband did
not live many years, and his widow at her death
bequeathed TO her brother Shakespeare an adj
diJional fortune of $4,000. To this son the
daughter of James Caldwell was proudly de
voted. He gave them handsome incomes dur
ing his life and left splendid fortunes when he
died. To their mother he often sent,princely pre-
sentS and after their separation wrote so loving
| letters that she would shed tears while reading
them. 1t was many years after her sons
| Shakespeare marriage before the bitrh of his
Oldest daughter and Miss Lina's sister, Maria
| Gwendoline Byrd, the handsome, high spirited
| girl who had the moral courage to refuse the
mercenary and unworthy Prince Murat.