Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1893-02-04
WAR "REMINISCENCES.
A ROMANCE OF THE WAR.

SarD.
"While on the train coming from
Louisville read story which reminds
me of romance in real life which oc-
Cured in the picturesque south, said M.
Z. Corcoran, of New Orleans, to a re-
porter of the Free Press 'I was half
doing in the smoker, after hav-
ing finished my last cigar, when
the train boy threw lot of
books into the compartment, and
picked up one of them and mechanical
ly began to read. 1t was the story
which opens with a scene in convent
and an interview which took place,
when soldier saw once more a
society of women whom he had
adored in the world of fashion.
1 even forgot the name of the
story; it was the Dutchess someone. AS
1 read, the occurrence of summer
spent on the Gulf of Mexico came to my
mind, and although l am not much on
romance the details of certain story
which had heard came vividly to me,
and l saw once more the characters in
the startling drama which was enacted
some time ago.
THAT summer was one of delight for
me, for was not my daily companion an
old family friend, Father Bally, one of
the most scholarly priests whom it has
been my good fortune to meet, gen.
tleman of affable manners and an ire
pressible wit? He was broad, big man,
with hearty, red face and voice like
a fog-horn He was the life of the
naiuh borhoo5 opd could toll L, etor,, nv
sing a song in most remarkable man
ner. When any entertainment was in
progress the good Father Bally was al
ways the central figure. The children
of his parish were always giving pleas
ant socials of one kind or another, and
somewhere in the middle of the pro-
gramme Father Bally would be an
Nounced, and then he would lift up his
mighty bass voice in Warrior Bold,
delivering it not perhaps as an artist
would, but with hearty feeling that
was captivating. A storm of applause
would follow and then he would come
forward, and seating himself at the
piano, sing a rollicking Irish ditty in a
manner which was all his own, and
which caused the children to laugh so
heartily that it actually did one good to
be present
ut was in the time of the year when
everything was in bloom, when the
flowers fairly overran the houses, and
when the orange trees were laden with
fruit. One day / was strolling through
the orange fields with Father Bally and
he was telling me n particularly good
Cf in In RI ia1n ,ha, L.,
approached the figure of a nun. She
was tall and shapely, and, though her
face was perfectly white, her beauty
was such that / paused involuntarily
and exclaimed: There is picture for
an artist that magnificent woman in
dark array, strolling in this paradise of
nature
"Father Bally returned dryly that
hers was not physical beauty, but
beauty of the soul. i replied that /
could well believe that, having looked
for moment into her dark, soulful
eyes. Such n woman must have his
tory added. That is true he re-
sponded. But her history belongs to
the past The woman passed slowly
away. Thea Father Bally returned to
his story, and / asked him no more
questions about her. However, l saw
her frequently thereafter and had no
difficulty in learning of her past, for
every one seemed to be acquainted with
her romantic career.
Before the war she was the only
daughter of an extremely wealthy
planter and lived in one of the large,
Il Il hn,, tan dc III; ;nh
SO often seen in the land of Dixie. She
had been educated in Paris and had
acquired all the graces which are sup
posed to accompany perfect education
in the fine arts. AS she was an heiress
she had many admirers, one of whom
was q southerner, while another lived
in the north, having met the accom-
plished girl in Paris. There was hot
race for her hand, but her heart evil
IDENTIFY inclined to the latter suitor, who
was graceful and talented and alto
gether worthy young fellow. The
southerner witnessed his rivals success
with much chagrin, and when the an
nouncement of the engagement was
made he was heard to remark that he
would kill his hated rival at the altar.
However, the wedding bells did not
ring, for war troubles were imminent
Tho lovers took sorrowful farewell,
vowing to be loyal to each other, al
though he, perforce, was going to join
the ranks of the enemy of the south and
assist in putting down the confederacy.
1.-THE denouement to the story was
sad and startling. One day man,
worn out and travel-stained, sought
refuge at the house and was admitted
into the young woman's presence. She
gave a cry of rapture, for it was her
northern lover, and then exclaimed
with consternation:
"'How did you get here%
by crossing the line
"'But if you are found here they will
kill you" ...i
81 could not resist seeing YOU"
"Then in an agitated manner she in
forms him that n detachment of south
ern soldiers was encamped beyond the
small wood and that the officer in COM
mand was his former rival.
ID Oh