The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1894-06-12
FOUND IN A BIBLE.
Strange Romance Connected Wit
Lost Marriage Certificate.

New York Recorder.
John Farrell, a saloon keeper at is
Clinton place, has unearthed q romance
that he modestly declares beats any
thing he ever heard OF. Its chief
actors belong to prominent families in
Virginia, and the scene of some of it's
most interesting episodes was the old
New York hotel, whore Mr.. Farrell
presided over Il cafe for twenty odd,
years.
When that favorite resort for
Southern visitors to theigreat metro
polls was torn down a few months ago
many parting ceremonies we're
observed by those who had made it
their home for SO many years. One of
the most interesting was q peculiar
service in the cafe. Many years pre-
viously the New York Bible Society
had put a Bible in each Of the hotels
rooms. When the clearing out time
came Mr.. Farrell had gone through
all of the rooms and collected the
Bibles. On tho last night of his stay
in the house, Enthusiastically, fixes,
tlips, slings-were free in his cafe, and
with every one went one of the Bibles.
AS the party waxed hilarious some
startling jokes were perpetrated, but
the jewellers were brought to their
senses by the discovery Of q marriage
certificate between the leaves of one
of the Bibles. 1t was dated in this
city in 1891, and was to the effect that
Anna Garman, of Danville, Va, had
been married to Ralph Preston, Of
Richmond, Shy the Rev. DIR. Deems.
MIR. Farrell took the certificate. He
concluded TO veto to Ralph Preston.
He did so, buthe' nevergot any reply.
He put heseertificate away in his safe,
with the comment that the world is
very small, and that it might como
into use some day.
Ho had forgotten all about it, when,
a day or two ago, a middle-aged wo-
man with an exceedingly pretty face,
her attire black, as if for mourning,
her manner refined and retiring,
timidly sought him IN his new cafe
in Clinton place. He was ~dumfounded
when he learned she "a the Anna
German whose name and identity no
a pOndered over SO often. She told
him she had eloped with Ralph Pres
ton, whose father owns u large estate
near Richmond, in 1891, after a civil
marriage, and they had come to New
York and had a minister unite them.
Then they had gone to tho New York
hotel and taken the bridal chamber.
She had put the marriage certificate
between the leaves of q Bible in the
room. She intended to take it with
her when they left, but had forgotten
even that she had put it there. When
Ralph Preston learned she had lost it
he began to try to get rid of her, she
said. They had gone back to their
home, but he had refused to recognize
her. She could not remember what
she had done with her certificate. In
the meantime she had a little boy
baby, but her husbands proud family
had not allowed her take their name.
About a month ago she read in an
old copy of a New York newspaper
how tho Bibles in the New York hotel
had been made the subject of "a
sacriligiOus service in the cafe of Mr..
Farrell. Like a flash it occurred to
her that she had put the certificate in
n Bible. h fastened to this city.
The woman burst into tears as she
finished her story, and waited in
trembling expectation. Without q
word Mr.. Farrell went to his safe and
unfolocd the certificate before her
delighted eyes. She seized it and
kissed it, Inc said she was going back
to establish her claim rs Ralp P~reston's
wife at c and the legitimacy of her
child.
Il KNEW felt-that she was the
one whom | had been looking and
waiting for all this time" said Mr..
Farrell to q Recorder reporter last
night. Yes, | gave the certificate
to her without any hesitation. From
what she said 1 judged she was as
much anxious owe establishing her
claim to the Preston property as any
thing else. She said she had been
unable to establish hcr civil marriage
to Ralph Preston satisfactorily, and
tho family had always insisted that no
ceremony had been held
Tho woman said she was going to
leave for her Southern home at once
DR.. Deems is dead, and it was too late
last night when the reporter got to
the %rectory Of his old church for any
examination of the records. The
woman promised to write to Mr.. Far
reil as soon as she got home and hnd
begun proceedings to establish Der
claims as Ralph P%restOn's wife. but he
hasn't heard from her yet.