The morning news., 1894-11-25
THE moRToNs' ROMANCE.
Curious Love Affairs of a Governor
Elects Sisters.


From the New Orleans Times-Democrat
Gov.-EIect Levi P. Morton of New York,
has four sisters, all of whom We're once
teachers in the Evansville QndD Male
Academy and Female Seminary. This
school was started by New Englander,
Myron W. Stafford, husband of one of
the Morton girls. At that time-early in
the "fifties'- the unmarried sisters We're
Electa, Mary and Martha, the latter be-
ing twins. These twins We're young, quite
handsome and so much alike that it was
difficult 10 distinguish one from the other.
During summer vacation, after the
school had been in existence two or three
years. Mr. and Mrs. Stafford and Miss
Martha Morton were spending a few
weeks at the springs in Union county,
Kentucky. There came along baptist OF
Presbyterian minister named Hdrtpence'
who fell in love with Miss Morton. AS
soon as they became acquainted, ana be-
fore many days, he ayOwed his passion
and asked her to accept his hand ana
heart in marriage She declined his pro-
posaI saying frankly that she was not
adapted to the life of q parSon VIE,
her tastes ana aspirations running IN an
entirely different direction. She informed
him. however, that she had u twin sister
so much like herself in personal appear
ance that even their own kindred found
1t difficult to tell them apart but that
they were wholly unlike in disposition and
temperament She told the reverend
suitor that If he wished she would send
for her sister and he could see for him.
self whether or not she had stated the
matter fairly.
He, of course. consented to this propo>
sition. Miss Mary was invited TO the
Ft4aff lon not
knowing what was in store for her. Nj
Hartpence transferred his affections im>
! mediately to the twin sister OF his nrst
love. and the courtship progressed so
satisfactorily that they were soon after
married. They removed to Tennessee,
where they continued to reside until the
death of Mr.. Hartpence, which occurred
some years ago. Since then the widow
has been living with her brother, Lew
/ Z. Morton; at least, she was member or
his household while he was Vice Presl-
dent
After the establishment of free schools
| in Indiana the prosperity Of the Evans
! vile Male Academy and Female Semi
nary began to decline rapidly. Miss Mar
tina Morton soon found II necessary TO
seek a situation elsewhere. She went to
/ New York city, where she became a
| governess in the family of the late Moses
| GrnneH. She was still a tine-looking girl
and quite fond of society. William r.
/ GrinneI, the eldest son of Moses Grin
! nell, fell i'm love with her and they We're
married a good many years ago. Mr..
/ Grinnel is now United States consul at
/ Manchester, England, where, it may be
supposed, he and his wife are quite con-
| tent to live, as il has been stated that on
his retirement from office eN-Nice Presi-
/ dent Morton requested President CleVe-
/ land as "A personal favor not to remove
/ his brother-in-law from that position.
Bitter DAYS were in store for the SAT
/ ford family Their school was finally
/ deserted entirely and Mr.. Stafford be-
came an itinerant agent for a cheap sew
/ ing machine travelling all around the
/ country adjacent to Evansville in the pur-
suance of his rather precarious livelihood.
/ He died in almost abiect poverty some
where in Northern Georgia, where he had
been teaching a small country school
| His widow and his daughter, Miss Laura,
| then went to Philadelphia and became de-
pendents upon friends Miss Laura had
I hloomed out into a handsome woman.
She was courted by a young man of
wealth and they became engaged. He
was taken desperately ILL., and they We're
married while he lay upon his deathbed.
and after he had made a VIII leaving her
an his property which amounted TO quite
"a handsome fortune. Thus the widow and
daughter found themselves translated
from poverty to afiluence In short time
They never returned TO Indiana, but may
stiu be living somewhere In the east