The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1892-11-02
A ROMANCE OF THE WAR.
Recalled by tho Sight of q Woman in
Nuns GaED Walking in nn Orange
Grove
Fro,n tho Detroit Free Press.

F}o,n tho Detroit Free Press.
"While on the train coming from
Louisville I read story which remind
cd me of romance In real life which
occurred ig the picturesque South" said
M. P. Corcoran, of New Orleans. II was
half doing In the smoker, after having
finished my cigar, when the train boy
threw lot of books into the compart.
ment and picked up one of them and
mechanically began to read. 1t was the
story which opens with scene in con.
vent and an interview which took place
when soldier saw once more society
woman whom he had adored in the world
of fashion. I even forgot the name Of
the story; 1t was the Duchess someone.
As I read, the occurrences Of Summer
spent on the Gulf of Mexico came to
mind and although am not much on
romance, the details Of 8 certain story
which I had heard came vividly to me
and saw once more the characters in
the startling drams which was enacted
some time ago.
"That Summer was one of delight for
me, for was not my daily companion an
old fiend of the family, Father Bailey,
one of the most scholarly priests whom
it has baan my good fortune to meet, q
gentleman of affable manners and an
irrspressible wit? He was a broad, big
man, with a hearty red face, and voice
like a fog.horn. he was the life of the
neighborhood and could tell 8 story or
sing song in mos remarkable manner.
When any entertainment vas in pro-
grsss the good Father Bailey was always
central figure.
The children of his parish were always
giving pleasing socials of one kind or
another, and somewhere in the middle
of the programme Father Bailey would
be announced, and then be would lift up
his mighty bass voice in "A Warrior
Bold delivering it not perhaps as an ar.
tist would, but with hearty feeling that
was captivating. A storm of applause
would follow, and then be would come
forward, and, seating himself at the
piano, sing rollicking Irish ditty in
manner that was all his own and which
caused the children to laugh 30 heartily
that it actually did one good to be pres
ent.
"It was The time of the year when ey.
erything was in bloom; when the flowers
fairly overran the houses, and when the
orange trees were loaded with fruit. One
day I was strolling through the orange
field with Father Bailey, aud he was tell.
ing me particularly good atory in Irish
dialect, when suddenly We approached
the figure of nun. She was tall and
stately, and, although her face was per-
fectly white, her beauty was such that l
paused uuvoluntarily and exclaimed:
There is a picture for an artist, that
magnificent woman in dark array, stroll.
ing in this paradise of nature
"Father Bailey returned dryly that
hers was not physical beauty, but beauty
of the soul. 1 replied that 1 could not
believe that, having looked for a moment
into her dark, soulful eyes. Such wo-
man must have history added. That
is true,' he responded. But her history
belongs to the past The woman pass
ed slowly away. Then Father Bailey re.
turned to his story, and I ~ked him no
more questions about her. However, I
saw her frequently thereafter, and had no
difficulty of learning of her past, for ev'
cry one seemed acquainted with her ro'
mantle caresr.
"Before the war she waa the only
daughter of an extremely wealthy plant
er, and lived in one of the large, hand.
some homestsads which then werc 30 Of
ten seen in the land of Dixie. She had
been educated in Paris, and had acquired
all the graces which are supposed to &C :
company perfect education in the line
arts. AZ she was an heiress she had
many admirers, one of whom was
Southerner, while the other resided in
the North, having met the accomplish
ed girl In Paris. There was hot race
for her hand, but her heart evidently in
clined to the latter suitor, who was grace
full and talented and altogether a worthy
young fellow. The Southerner witness.
ed his rivals success with much chagrin,
and when the announcement OF the
engagement was made was heard to re-
mark that he would kill bis hated rival
at the altar. However, the wedding bells
did not ring, for war troubles were I'M
minent. The lovers took sorrowful
farewell, vowing to be loyal to each oth-
er, although he, perforce, was going to
join the ranks of the enemy Of the South,
and assist in putting down the Confeder'
acy.
"The announcement TO the story vas
sad and startling. One day man, worn
out and travel. stained, sought refuge at
the house aud vas admitted into the
young woman's presence. She gave a
cry OF rapture, for 1t was her Northern
lover, and then exclaimed With con6ter-
nation:
"How did you get hereG'
"'By crossing the line
"'But if you are found here they will
kill you
"'I could not resist seeing YOU
"Then In an agitatsd manner she in
forms him that detachment of South
ern soldiers was encamped beyond the
small wood and that the officer in COM
mand was his former rival.
"'You must so at oncs,' she urged