The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-04-10

most thrilling incidents in her husbands
eventful career
She lives on Adams street. that part Of
Los Angeles remarkable for its fair
homes, made fairer by the luxuriance and
charm of tropical gardens. Magnolias
overshadow the fresh lawn, orange trees
and fan palms gather the perfumes in
their cooler masses, and the graceful, vii.
lowy pepper filings out its scarlet, bead
strung clusters to every passing breeze,
all conspiring to make beautiful the spot
which she has chosen for the home of her
declining years.
She sits most of the time in her pretty
reception room, its windows thrown open
to the dewy night, so warm and wooing
IN this southern latitude, and she herself
as warm and wooing as the air Her
daughter is with her, and friend.
O1 the many "reminiscences, of which
she has store. none are as interesting
as the story she tells of the courtship oe
Gen. Fremont and of her romantic mar
riage to the explorer. She met John c.
Fremont in the very late 30s Fremont
was then second lieutenant of engineers
in the United States army and was engage
ed in survey of the territory that lay
between the Missouri and Upper rivers.
The young officer was introduced into the
house of Col Thomas H. Benton, then
United States senator from Missouri, and
at first sight, according to his confessions
to the young lady after she became his
wife, fell deeply in love with Miss Jessie
Benton, the second daughter of the SEN
ator, and then a young girl but Is
years old. The young lieutenant proved to
be an ardent wooer and at once began to
press his suit. The object of his affections
looked favorably upon his wooing, but the
parents OF the young lady seriously OBJ
jected to his attentions to their daugh~
ter.
Col. Benton was vehement and outspok-
en- in his opposition to young Fremonts
suit. He declared that his daughter
should not wed an army subaltern. He
declared that the army was not a profess
sion; that an officers income was only
salary that ended with his life, leaving his
widow helpless ward of the war depart-
ment. Mrs. Bentons objection to Free
monts suit was based upon the extrema
youth of her daughter. Both father and
mother expressed tho greatest personal
regard for the young lieutenant but they
We're determined, for the reasons they
gave and which they considered all sufh-
cient, that he should not wed their child
But the soldier lover was persistent. He
tod the father of the young girl he loved
OF his ambitions; how he intended TO rise
above the rank of a simple lieutenant OF
engineers and make for himself a mama
that should be illustrious; but to all the
young lovers pleadings the father turned
deaf ear, and would often become inn
patient at the young man for his persist-
ence.
1t was during the summer of 1sl, whIls
young Fremont was endeavoring TO over
come these impediments that had been
placed in the way OF his marriage, that
ne received a strange but emphatic order
from the war department to make an ex-
animation of the Des Moines river, then
upon the extreme frontier and upon
uhnGa hut h.. 4 r. n
dams made their homes. The order was
a strange and mysterious one but It was
memorable. The young lieutenant and MS
sweetheart suspected that the idea on
sending him into such distant territory
emanated from Col. Benton, who hoped
that during the long absence Of the sol
der his daughter might be weaned away
from what he considered mere infatua'
ton OF hers.
There were but two courses open 20
young Fremont-to obey the order or
throw up his commission. He was sol-
der and he obeyed orders! With the besa
spirits he could command Fremont SEQ
out upon his perilous expedition. He as
charged his duty with so much credit 70
himself that the gallant soldier returnins
not only found the loyal heart Of his lauy
love awaiting him, but an appointment
TO explore the Rocky Mountains, and also
70 find new emigrant trail to the Greae
West.
Soon after the young officers return %
Washington on the 18th OF October lAl,
he and Miss Jessie Benton were quietly
welded in Washington. Col. Benton anl
his wife soon became reconciled TO ua
marrlage-so soon. that the very neAs
year the colonel intrusted his i2-year-ou
son, Randolph, to the care OF Fremont ~
his companion during his expedition u
the Rocky Mountains
Tho queen, Il Is said Is very muol
hurt that Sunday r. now 80 much less