, 1891-05-23
LOVED AT FIRST SIGHT
Annie Archer, The Loveliest
Girl in Texas"
Her Lover and Marries
a Drummer.
A Western Poet Hits the East
With a Sonnet.

ANSAlN1 lex, Way --AnnleA TCOCT,
the Ioveliest girl in Texas, has furnished
proof, however isolated, of the truth OF
Gilbert's refrain, "A woman's heart is
one with woman's hand, aud IN so doing
has given the society Of two cities a shock
difficult to overcome.
At one and the same time this l9-ycar-
old beauty threw one young man into the
despairing depths OF uurequitcd love,
raised another to the summit OF marital
bliss and disappointed a thousand people
of a wedding feast. A flag, a speech and
a drummer caused all the row., all the
anguish and all the happiness which 70
to make up this romance by the Rio
Grande.
The story, as told by those ~convcrsant
with the facts, runs about as follows:
Massey H.. Miller is a promising Young
lawyer OF Dallas. He is also a bachelor,
but that isn't his fault From a pros
pective benedict to another period of
certain bachelorhood, with a we'd
ding outfit on hand as dead stock, as
it were, Mr.. MIller's experience is as old
as woman's tickleness of heart and
mind. 1t was in the early spring of SO
that this young man visited this city and
met Annie Archer, then a grl of II and
flushed with the excitement of her first
party. She had no lack of s%uitors. but
conspicuous among the crowd was Massey
Miller. aud his constant and persistent
devotion at last won him his reward, and
he was allowed to imprint the customary
chaste salute upon the usual spot and
place the usual diamond ring upon the
customary finger. Miller was then an
undergraduate at college. and so the en-
gagemeut was spiced by secrecy. Later
the parents OF the young people were in
formed OF the state of things, and their
sanction was readily given. Some two weeks
ago cards of invitation to the wedding
were sent to hundreds of friends living
here aud in Dallas Congratulations and
presents poured in upon the Young peo-
ule, and preparations We're made for the
merriest wedding in all history. Then
something happened.
The drummer came to town. His visit
was avowedly for the purpose of attend
ing a convention of a business mems as
ISOLATION and the accompanying festivities.
Now, this particular association is exceed
lngly popular with the young women of
this town, and upon this occasion a ban
ner embossed with commemorative letters
and worked by fair hands was to be pre-
sented to the association from the ladies
OF the city. 1t was the unanimous opin-
ion of the latter that the one best suited
to make the presentation was pretty Annie
Archer. She, at first, cemurred and
wrote to the man who was to be her hus-
band IN ten days time, asking him II she
ghpn1A yield TO bor gs-l
He, %unlucky one, told her to act as her
desires dictated. Annie made the pre-
sentatiOn and, as luck should have it. Jas.
j. Irwin, a New Orleans drummer, made
the reply. 1t is said that though he had
never before been introduced TO the belle
of Texas, yet be has long admired her at
a distance. Be that as it may, his speech
that night in response to Miss Archer
was as full Of sweet adiectives as his ewes
we're of love. He was in constant attep-
dance upon her during TIE remainder of
the evening.
Two days afterwards a note came to
Young Miller in Dallas. The missive was
from Miss Archer and informed her afi-
anced husband that the match was broken
OFT. She had, so she wrote, been desper-
ately IN love with him, but that now she
loved another, and oh, 50 much BETTER
nv
Where my heart is, . so ran the letter,
there my hand must 20. | love Mr..
Irwin; am now engaged to him., and shall
marry him tomorrow afternoon" Then
Miss Archer expressed the hope that Mr..
Miller would always be happy and regard
her as his true friend, and succeed in life,
and all the rest of 1t. OF course, as a
woman wrote the note, there was a post
cript. 1t read:
"P. 81 will say, in justice to myself,
that { only became engaged to Mr.. Irwin
last night"
The mex morning the papers an
nouCced the marriage of Miss Annie Ar
cher to Mr.. james j. Irwin.
Mr.. Miller is reported as taking the
matter very philosophIcally. He has
neither turned any one of the seventeen
portraits OF his lost love to the wall, nor
is he writing an essay beratiug protracted
engagements.
The happy pair refuse to discuss their
sudden matrimonial overture other than
that they are very, very happy, aud so
sorry for poor Mr.. Miller.
The friends of the young folks are dis
appointed because they saw neither the
wedding to which they were invited. nor
the one which prevented that from taking
place, and altogether the drummer is not