The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-06-18

was supposed to have lived and died during
the Revolutionary period. and informed the
reporter that she had mover heard OF such n
person. Miss Scelicer explained the reason
OF tho wreath with her card in it appear
ing on tho grave OF Charlotte Temple
as follows: Some eight or nine years ag) she
had very dear friend living in this city who
bore the same name as that inscribed on the
granite slab in Trinity churchyard. The
Seeligers moved to the far West. and two
years after their departure their friend died.
Mrs. Seeliger aud her daughter came East
again last year. and, being DESTROYS OF placing
some floral remembrance on the grave Of
their friend. made ditgent search for it in the
cemeteries Of the vicinity OF New York. but
without finding any one by the name OF Char
lotte Temple buried in them. Shortly aft er
the young lady's death her family had moved
away from the city. and SO the Seeigers had
nobody to aid them in finding the grave.
Miss SetliGer happened to visit Trinity
churchyard one day and. seeing the historic
name on the granite slab felt sure that it must
be her friend who lay there. although she
wondered at the stones looking old and
weatherbeaten and at tho popularity OF its
horizontal position over the grave instead Of
standing at the head. she brought her mother
down to look at the grave. however. ant they
both decided after mature reflection that II
mustbe their friends grave, as they had not
found the name OF Charlotte Temple in any OF
the interment lists OF the cemeteries visited.
Miss Sc"ligcr was Tcry mlrh disappointed to
Snrn wSa fn9 rFtr ,ha i WI S SS hET
she had hoped t. spend many pleasant hours at
the side Of her friends grave. and now she
didn't know where t. look for il.
The owrer o! tn" card bearing the namc Of
frank II. Temple 9 aid not he found. a. there
is NJ such name either in the cit. directory or
that Of am Of the ~Irrouniin. cities or towns.
The sexton Of Trinity thIrch thinks It is the
card Of visiting EnSliIhman. who left it il tho
claiming to be stranger. approached him on
that dny ana question: MIN very clHnieiy IN
He also visited the oi!ce OF the Trinity cor.
poration to find out what he could from the
records, The next day the sexton noticed the
card in the wreath and thinks it must be that
The story Of Charlotte Temple. written by
by the author to have been founded on the
lie OF friend. was in great vogue short
u alter I'll, the hevoutionary war British
America during the Revolution became enauI-
ored OF young girl in a hoarmin. school who
ardently returned his love. The young man
man and had his fathers admonition to marry
Not n9. az ~ or ns ah
noble birth. he resolved 10 make her his
mistress rather than suffer h IS fathers anGer.
ThrolGh his own earnest pleading. and the
assurance that he would marry hcc when they
reached America, and the influence Of a French
pany the young girl as a companion. but who
in reality was going "A mistress to a brother
officer 81 the young man. Charlotte Temple was
Arriving in America the young officer soon
tired Of his chill mistress. ard not only did not
keep his word with her. but fell in love and
married wealthy young society belle. After
suffering neglect. sickness. and the perse ~
t rns9 # AZ erIh9r 9lcGE e thS who had
servant Of the Frenth SaSher w65 n3 Ind i
rlei wealthy man she had met on the Snip
s,it,i,,
spectaDc position had severed al friendly re-
nti2ns With TIE girl sho had helped to ruin.
book is supposed to portray has always been an
interesting mystery To the puplic and one which
IS is nnsolyed to the present day 1t is claimed
from the life OF one Charlotte Stanley. n dai;ti-
ter Of the house II Derby and that tho slab
silver plate sunk into it. with the TuartcringS
81 9 the house 81 DerSy. the name Charlotte
1t is also stated by them that the Derby
family were ANNOYED ut the tremendous popu-
Curious people to look up tho identity Of tho
prIpcinal chaiarters in the story, and thoy
name Charlotte Tcmrle "ut IN the granite
slab, The officers Of Trinity corporati N claim.
hr2MGver that no Gcrs1n was ever buried IN
Charlotte Temp,e Or Charlotte Stanley. and
say that their books do not r"rOrd the burial Of
mark 81 Chariot" T"mplr. They claim to know
almost positively that a certain person VINO was
stirred up to great pitch OF sent mentality
by the story. had tho tomb built there. when
tho book was ba!n- read and discusseI by
everybody. and that n metal plato used 10 rest
In the head OF the stone slab that covers tho
tomb. with An inS"rirtiOn engraved therein
nnrporting TO give an outline OF the life Of
Chariot" Temple also the date OF her firth
and death. They further say tnnt some Gfty-
odd years after the toni was bui!t. when New
York had herolne considerably more Of Il city.
the plate was stolen one night by thieves. who
thnngnt 1t to be made OF silver.
These are only two Of the, numerous storles
that have been put forth by different people
person thu events In whose life are supposed
to have formed tho material for tho novel. Tho
depression left in the slab shows conc.u sivey
that u plate OF some kind must havo rested
there. and inclines one to believe that the
Irinity people are right IN their assertions,
although they admit that their records We're
burned shortly after Charlotte Temple was
to have died
The, depression left in the slab Ivy the re-
moyal OF tho plate. or Whatever used to rest
there has formed drinking fountain for tho
tlrds. ana Tor day or Two at y time after u |
shower in the summer. thny can he seen flock |
In. around the grave by hundreds to drink.
GOPHER PESTS ~ THE UESE