The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-05-25

Aloemarle frigate, twenty-four guns.
He arrived at Bic in July, and in due
course at Quebec. There he remained
for some weeks, when he departed on
cruise along the American coast and
returned to Quebec on September IL.
The sickness of his crew compelled him
to remain at Quebec for some time, and
1t was not until October IA that he was
able to take his final departure from
the St Lawrence. 1t was during this
interval that there occurred one
of the most romantic incidents
of his life. The story was related by
Henry j. Morgan. of Ottawa, the we'll
known historian and proprietor of the
Annual Register. Mr.. Morgan says
that Nelson fell a victim to the charms
of Miss Mary Simpson, the daughter of
a Quebec merchant, in which city she
was born in 1866 or 1867. She was about
sixteen at the time of Nelson's visit,
and is reputed to have possessed not
only marvellous beauty" but likewise
mental gifts of higher order. She
seems to have acquired q complete as
tendency over the head and heart OF
the young first captain, and also Of
others. including the estimable gentle
man who subsequently became her
husband, Col Robert Matthews, long
the military secretary in Canada to
Lord Dorchester and other governors,
and for some years previous to his
death holding the post of governor of
Chelsea hospital. The climax of Nell
sons infatuatiou is thus related:
when the Albemarle on October Il
was ready for sea, Capt. Nelson had
taken his leave and had gone down to
the river to the place where the men-of-
war usually anchored, but the next
morning, as Alexander Dawson was
walking on the beach. he saw Nelson
coming back in his boat. On reaching
the landing place tho former anxious
ly demanded the cause of his friends
return. Walk up to your house. Nell
son replied, and you shall be made ac-
quainted with the cause He then
said: I find it utterly impossible to
leave this place without again waiting
on her whose society has so much adj
ded to its CHAINS and laying myself
and my FORTUNE at her feet Mr. Da-
vison earnestly demonstrated with
him on the consequences of so rash a
step. A severe alteration ensued, but
Mr.. Davison's frmness at length pre-
vailed with Nelson, who. with no very
good grace, relineuished his purpose
and suffered himself to be led back to
his boat. 1t is perhaps useless now
to speculate on what would have been
the consequences had not Mr. Davi- |
sons friendly counsel prevailed with !
Nelson in his reckless infatuation."
That Nelson did not forget what he
owed personally to this determined |
friend was frequently proved in after |
years. Removing to London, Dawson /
became navy agent and banker, and |
commissariat contractor, in all of |
which positions Nelson's great influ-
ence was exerted in his favor. Of the |
fair Quebecer, who inspired so passion
ate a regard in the heart OF one of |
Britain's most illustrious sons, the rec
ord shows that. yielding at length to |
Col. Matthews ardent proposals, she |
joined him in England, where they |
we're married. There in London she
continued to reside for the remainder
Of her days. enjoying in amplest meas
ure the respect and esteem of all. She
survived her early admirer many years,
her death occurring in London not be-
fore she had reached her SEVENTEEN