Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-03-01

| IL was thus that a bov OF IL years and
10 months, Ia some respects inexperienced
school books aud his tutor and bl:ndiy led
TO tho altar by young woman OF full 81
years-.with entIre secrecy contfived by
\ herself and with all the Observation-Disclosures
OF her device complete and exact.
When my eldest son, Walker, went 20
| New York, as 1 have related IN the Duccy
| letter, his object was TO see whether this
| marriage OF nv Youngest son might not be
| invalid or could not be anDulled by rea-
son OF bis youth. He was met with the
assertion that IL was too late for any pro-
ceedings 20 set aside the marriage. because
after the marriage the bride instead OF re-
turning TO her mother. had taken passage
for Boston with tho groom on one OF the
night steamers on Long Island Sound.
She returned from Boston 10 New York
the following day and he came on home TO
Augusta. This fact was learned FOX the
| first time by Walker, boys modesty
| having prevented my son james from
bringing II 10 my knowledge.
II purpose next 10 show by q somewhat
| minute statement OF facts and dates the
falsity Of the assertion that Mrs. Blaine
broke up the marriage relations of my son
and his wife. She did not see her daughter
| in-law until May, 1857. eight months after
the marriage, when being in New York the
latter called upon her twice during her
| two days stay. The next time she saw
| her was month later. When about 10
sail for Europe. on the Sth of June, she
was q single day in New York aud saw the
young woman on taking leave.
DEEPLY IN DEBT
AT the end of fourteen months we re-
turned from Europe and stopped two or
| three days in New York. We found that
IN our absence my son had not only spent
his entire allowance, but that he was deep-
lv IN debt. IL was then arranged that both
my son and his wife should come down 10
| Augusta and have their future determined
at a family council. They arrived III Au-
gusta on Saturday the 18th Of August.
Mrs Blaine was absent from home on
| visit and returned Monday afternoon. the
2Oth, so that she saw Jamess wife for the
| first time in Augusta on the evening OF
August Goth.
Within two or three DAYS ] learned
| the details OF the dismal failure of their
New York llfe and after full consultation
with Mrs. Blaine. and with her free APP
prevail, i proposed that they should come
o. live at Augusta and occupy our old
home. had "A summer house at Bar Har-
Dor and as | intended to spend all my
winters In Washington this house would
be vacant II they did not occupy It, The
house being large | proposed to pay for
fuel and light and the wages OF man-ser-
want, and / would furnish them with a
horse and carriage. | also assured them IN
addition the sum Of S2.500 year until my
son should be able 20 earn al income OF
that amount. / made the proposition
while we were sitting on the lawn. with
my sons wife but few feet dis ant. My
son went Immediately over TO her. and
know he told her in detail Just what my
offer was. Her reply was that she would
not stay ia Augusta under any consldera-
ton. lie was very much Disconnected by
her decision, and for the first time In
formed his mother and myself OF hls DIS
content and unhappiness-a fact which
was not before known, but which was not
received with surprise.
ave then learned that during our alb
sonce in Europe he had become gradually
estranged from her. and her refusal to ac-
cept the residence IN Augusta was merely
the last of a
LONG SERIES OF DIsAGREEMENTs,
which threatened to make their united
life impossible, and which led finally to
separation. Disaster is the only legitimate
conclusion of such q marriage. During the
two weeks that my sons wife stayed at
Augusta IL became patent TO every mem
Dor of my family and TO every visitor, and
TO no one more than myself, that sepa-
ration was the least disaster to be dreaded
The immediate occasion OF her de
parture was my sons going to Bangor at
nav request on Friday. August 3lst, with
some documents for which teiegraphed
Il was occupied with the campaign of the
State). and he continued with me 20 Els
worth. where / was TO speak on Saturday,
the LIST of September. There beng vlo-
lent rain-stOrm the meeting at Ellsworth
was postponed TO Monday, September I'd.
James spent the interval at Bar Harbor,
4 al run ~ 1lnnd0U
after the meeting. James returned with
me to Augusta and arrived at ii i. NJ.
only TO learn that his wife had gone 10
New York at 3 L. NJ, eight hours before.
She knew well that James would be ut
home that night.
Mrs. Blaine had strongly dsapprovedof
her departure aud had earnestly urged her
TO remain. She did not then dream that our
son would not follow his wife or that the
imminent final separation would come so
soon; but she deprecated the angry ana,
to us. at least sudden departure and the
Journey TO New York alone with the infant
and nurse. She did not, however, suspect
that the young woman lett with any less
friendly feeling toward herself than toward
every other member of the family except
my son James.
"Flnding the young woman determined
TO 90, and foreseeing the difficulties IN
their path since my daughter-ln-iaw
utterly declined the provision made for
their support. Mrs. Blame repeatedly babe
her remember that she would at any mo-
ment
RECEIVE THE CHILD.
for any length of time-for one year or
three years or ten years or for llte-that
he should receive as all who know my
wife will believe-the very best care and
attention; that she would put his mother
under no conditions whatever, and that
whenever she wished the child TO be re-
turaed to her he should be sent. The
offer was not accepted, but it was not de-
clined II appeared to be received in the
same friendly spirit IN which II WAS gwen.
Thus my daughter -in-law left my home,
the only home which my son could pro-
vide for her. She left behind her for my
son a note, whose temper and tone are
sufficiently indicated by single extract:
lyon knew when you left what the
consequence of Your trip to Bar Harbor
(woud be-. What business had you at
Bar Harbor? - Why did you not
telegraph me and not let me lie awake
until nearly 4 O'Clock? You shall live TO
regret all this. You have broken the
greater part of your promises thus FAR,
and until you learn TO be truthful you
need not come near me. l am not here 70
have INV affairs discussed among the neigh
bors. If you desire 10 have any communi-
cation with me you can address New YORK
Hotel Signed simply Mary Nevins Blaine.
ION reading this note my son declared:
/ will not follow her, and told her
would not when she made the threat.
Just forty.four days after this wilful de-
parture she returned TO my house, accom-
panied by her mother Mrs, Nevins, my
grandson. and his nurse. At the moment
Of their arrival there were In the house
only Mrs. Blaine, who was Ill. and the ser
wants. Mrs. Blaine at once arose. dressed,
and went down stairs. having previously
instructed her maid to do everything re-
ouired for their comfort. This was the
only time she ever met Mrs. Nevins.
Neither lady advanced 10 greet her. No
hand was extended to her, but from Mrs.
Neyins. seconded by her daughter. came
charges against her son and herself 80 IN
sulting and so violent that servant was
called in for the frankly-expressed pur-
pose of
ACTING AS 4 BEsrRAINr
upon the elder visitor. -,
ION this brief stsy Of two weeks with
us. and on this one last visit OF two hours.
rests sll the substantiation of the state