The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1892-12-23

Los ANGELES, Cal, Dec. 16.-Ordi-
'narily it takes a great deal to shock
the "best society" here, but it now
'qufvers from the first TO the last of
the swell four hundred. Mrs Nusom
BransOn has filed divorce suit max
ing Mrs. Gov" George Stoneman
correspondent, alleging adultery.
Mrs. Gov. Stoneman is about so
years old, but makes up" for
woman of 35. She is the wife of ex-
Gov. George StOneman of this State,
who was also n general in the Federal
army during the late civil war.
Judge Branson il about 90 years of
age, and is the Il torney for the Santa
Fe Railroad system OF the West.
lu 1882 81, while Stoneman was
Governor OF California, Mrs. Stone
man was the leader of society at the
capital, and her receptions were very
brilliant in the extreme Gossips
coupled her name with that Of Harry
Darn, the Governors private secre.
tsry. Darn had been society reporter
on San Francisco paper before being
made private secretary. TIE old
Governor, AS Is usual with hu. bands,
never heard these damaging +. ports,
and the affair soon blew over. How
ever, there waI anOtupr SENSATION.
Darn was accused of selling ptrdons;
that, using his iuhuence With the
Governor through Mrs. StouemAn,
one criminal was pardoned, aud the
Governor deuit d having signed the
document. Darn fled TO Chtua.
AT the conclusion of his term the
Governor aud Mrs. Stoneman re-
turned to Los Angeles, where she
posed as the leader of the "best So
ciety," and no move was made with
out first consulting her. She was the
bifurcated Ward McAlister OF the
city. Recently there has been more
gossip ABOUT her, and she gave n
grand reception to test the sentiment
OF the public in reference to scandal
about herself and Judge Branson
Society turned its cold, bare shoul-
ders toward her, and then the bomb
shell burst in the divorce courts.
Gov. StOneman is now at the home
of some Of his friends III New York.
The poor old fellow claims that some
time ago an effort was made to get
him into lunatic asylum. His for
tune has been fritted away by his
wife's reckless extravaganza, and a
few years ago some friendsE inter-
ceded and congress passed - relief
bill, placing him on the retired list as
a General, or half pay. The follow
ing Is part of a juicy letter, alleged to
have been written 6y the fTisky Mrs.
StOneman to Judge B!anson:
SUNDAY EvhNING, 10 p. NJ.
1t has been as imagined il would be,
dearest, that the evening only would
be mine own to dispose of as / would,
and so, desiring to please you in all lit
tie things possible, without even n hint
of what / might do in great ones, am
writing you.
do not know, my precious, if 1 was
dreaming of you this morning just be-
fore waking, but l do know that my
first conscious thought was of you, with
such longing desire that it might have
been my privilege to turn towards you
and be clasped in those loving, tender
protecting arms and held close to your
Faithful heart. 1t seemed but a moment
ere realized the futility of the wish,
and yet it really seemed but the ending
of dream, and all to-day / have felt as
rested, as satisfied if ] had beer
really lying there. Why was it, dearie
that 1 should have felt so? / really
cannot account for it, but it was peace,
assurance, rest, oh, the rest apparently,
that this world seldom, if ever, gives,
at least for long at a time.
Sweetheart, would il really make you
so perfectly happy to have me add two
words to my letter of Sunday? 1t is "A
great deal to make any one even mod
crateiy happy for limited time in this
merry old world. W hat a bribe You
offer me when you say you would have
all you wanted or hoped for, and vet
when l add them, as l can, 1 feel per
1eGtlN sure YOU VIII not De sallSDeu.
Since our last interview, so entire and
restful is my trust in your love for me,
that YOU have really arrived at loving
me, not yourself through me-that yOu
desire and mean TO make my happi-
ness as well as your own satisfaction,
YOUR aim and object, that / am willing
TO say j will give yOu what you
can ask, feeling sure, as / do, that
since / have permitted your searching
scrutiny into the inmost hidden recess
les of my heart, you are too much part
= 1AVself to ask what il would at any
.cG ain me to feel had granted YOU.
..isc nEhing, my darling, be content,
- ~ H'neee that never viii
me beyond
~od to re-
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