The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1892-10-28
ROMANCE OF THE WAR,

"While on the train coming
from Louisville read a story
which reminded me of a romance
in real life which occurred in the
ic,uresque South" said Mr. NJ. Z.
Corocsn, of New Orleans. ~ was
hall doing IN the smoker, after
having finished my cigar,when the
train boy threw a lot of books into
The compartment and ! picked up
one Of them and mechanically b-.
gan to read. II was II story which
OPENS with a scene in a convent
aud an interview which took place
when a soldier saw once more a
society woman whom he had adOr.
ed The world of fashion. | even
forget the name OF The story; j,
was the Dutchess someone. As l
read, the occurrences OF summer
spent on the Gull of Mexico came
10 mind, and although l am not
much on romance, the details Of n
certain story which | had heard
came vlvldly to me and l saw once
more The characters IN the start.
ling drama which was enacted
some time ago.
"That summer was one of de-
light ior me, for was not my daily
companion an old friend Of the
family, Father BalIy, one of The
most scholarly priests whom 1t has
been my good fortune to meet, a
gentleman of ailable manners and
an irrepressible wlty He was a
broad, b,g man with a hearty red
face and a voice like a fog horn.
lie was The life OF the neighbor.
hood and could tell a story or sing
a song in "a most remarkable man
ner. When any entertainment was
in procres, the good Father Bally
was always The central figure. The
children Of his parish We're always
giving pleasing soc1als of one kind
or another, and somewhere in the
middle of,he program Father Bal
ly would be announced, and then
he would lill up his mighty bass
voice in "a Warrior Bold" deliv
ering 1t moi perhaps as an artisI
would, but with a hearty feeling
iha, was captivating. A storm oI
applause would follow and then he
would come forward, and, seating
himself at the piano,sing a rohick
ing Irish citiy in a manner that
was all his own and which caused
The children to laugh 50 heartily
it actually cid one good to be pres
ent.
ut was the time OF year whei
everything was in bloom; whei
The flowers falrly overran tn.
bouses, and when lhe orange tree
we're laden with fruit. One day
was strolling through the orange
field with Father Baliy, and HI
was telling ne particularly goOt
3 story in Irish dialect, when sud
denly We approached the figure o
IA nun. She was tall and stately
and, although her face was per
e liectly white, her beauty was sue
that l paused involuntarily an,
0 exclaimed: "There is a picture 10
I an artist, that magnificent woman
j. IN dark array, strolling in this pal
Q adise OF nature"
: Father Bally returned dryly iho
n hers was not physical beauty, bu
$ beauty of ihe soul. l replied iha
# l coulL we'll believe that, havin
looked ior a moment into her darl
a soulful eyes. "Such a wo,na
= must have a history" l adde,
IS "rhat is true" he Responded
's "But her history belongs 10 III
d past The woman passed sl0wl
away. Then Father Bally re,urne
m to his story, and asked him u
ID more questions about her. How
i ever, | saw her frequently there
: after and had no difficulty
'r learning of her past, for everyor
10 seemed to he acquainted with III
romantic career.
Y. Before The war she was tie onl
IN daughter OF an extremely wealth
70 planter, and lived IN one of Il
% large, handsome lomesleads whie
= I, then were 40 often seen in the lar
y Of Dixie. She had been educate
!" in Paris, and had acquired all u
graces which are supposed to a
g company q perfect education
% the fine arts. As she was an hei
- ess she had many admirers, one
= whom was a Southerner, while Il
:. other resided in the North, hayil
u u met the accomplished girl IN Ps
J, 3 Is. There was . hot race for h
hand INIT hs,r heart avi.lant1v /