The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1893-11-01
SAN HOUSTON'S MARRIAGE.
A Story that Comes From the Cousin o
Deserted Bride.

A Terrell, Texas, letter to the St.
Louis Republic says: The mystery
which has hitherto hung about the
first marriage and the separation of
Gen. Sam Houston, the great warrior
statesman, is entirely removed by the
following story related to the Republic
correspondent by the Rev. W. D.
Owen, Presbyterian minister who
is here as the guest of brother minis
ter, having afew days ago arrived from
his home in Arcadia, La. Mr.. Owen
resided in the State of Tennessee for
many years, and during his residence
there formed the. acquaintance Of
Mrs. Williams, a cousin of Miss Allen,
the young lady Houston married.
A strong feeling of affection exist
ed between the two cousins, and Mrs
Williams, who was parishioner of
Mr.. Owen, one dayirelated to him the
story of her marriage and separation
substantially as related to her by
Miss Allen. To-day Mr.. Owen told
the story so your correspondent as it
was related to him. It was substan-
TALLY as follows:g
Previous to her engagement and
marriage with Houston, Miss Allen
was ardently loved by young man in
the neighborhood, whose name Mr..
Owen has forgotten. He was 3 de-
serving young fellow, with bright
prospects before him, but was poor in.
| so far as this worlds goods were con-
cerned. He had sought Miss
Aliens hand in marriage and was ac-
cepted.
The marriage would in all probabil-
| lity have taken place! but for the
strenuous objections interposed by
the young lady's parents. Houston
had already paid Miss Allen some at
tention, which she reciprocated in a
courteous manner, he being man Of
great prominence. With these con-
alterations, together. with the pre-
ference Of her parents, who opposed
her own choice, Miss Allen renounced
her former lover and accepted Hous-
tons cffer Of marriage.
The day was tfor the marriage and
all arrangements were made for the
event. The wedding occurred at the
residence Of the brides father in the
presence ola few invited guests, imme-
diate friends and relatives of the con-
tracing parties. Among the invited
was tho young man whom Miss Allen
had discarded. He entered the. room
as the marriage ceremony was being
concluded, just as the jeweled hand
of the bride was extended and grasped
by Houston to solemnize the marriage
VOW. Miss Allen noted the: entrance
of her former lover. Her cheek paled
vtsibly and her hand trembled as it
was grasped by Houston. Houston
noted her agitation, but said nothing
until after the congratulations had
been extended and the marriage feast
finished.
When all these festivities were
over and the bride and groom repaired
to their room together Houston gave
way to his agitation Of mind and
tbluntly demanded Of lis bride why
she had paled and trembled during
the performance Of the nuptial rites.
His wife burst into tears and refused
to make answer: He insisted, stating
that it was his right to know. Again
she declined, all the time weeping
bitterly. A third time Houston de-
manded an answer to his questions,
and finally his ife, amid tears, told
him that she would make reply to.his
questions in regard to the matter if he
would listen to her explanation after
all had beer told. This condition
was agreed to. Houston began first
| by asking Mrs. Houston if she did not
love another before she met him. Her
reply was that she did. His next ques::
tion was:
"Do you now love him more than you
do your r.husband?"
10 this vital question Mrs. Houston
replied, II do. =, =,
'Then," said Houston, IT will re-
lease you from the obligations you have
| just made. :,
And with this blunt speech he left
his wife, she all the while beseechlng
him, amid binding tears, to wait and
listen to her explanation. But he
would not, and left her before the
evening fell upon that, to her, woeful
day.
Of course Houston's action was in
explicable and threw the household,
the community and the State into the
deepest CONSERVATION. What he suf-
fered by this step must be lett to the
imagination. The pen cannot describe
it. Every shaft Of malice and abuse
was turned against him until, life be-
coming intolerable, he resigned the
Goyernorship and betook himself to
the sylvan shades Of the Cherokees on
the borderland of Tennessee and Mis-
sissippi, the chief Of whom was his
warmest friend.
While on mission to Washinston,
| in later years, Houston passed through
Nashville, his former home. Though
attired very much in the manner OF an
Indian, his face so bronzed from ex.
posure and heat as to remove almost
every trace of his former likeness, he
was yet recognized by an old-time
friend, of whom he asked few ques'
tions about Mrs. Houston.
The friend told him how, immedI'
ately after the separation, she had as,
sumed the mourner's garb and INC retired
to secluded spot in Nashville, where
she had since lived in absoute retire
ment, almost the life Of recluse. 1t
| is said that Houston was deeply NOV
ed by his friends recital, and regret
ted he had acted so harshly,, he
would not listen to his friends en-
treaties, however, to return, but contln.
ued his Journey to Washington without
further making his identity known in
Nashville.
The Rat May be Trained.