The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1898-09-30
ROMANCE OF A CATASTROPHE.
Tragic Circumstances Under Which
q New Jersey Girl F1rst Meets
Her Lover.

People who meet and marry in the
ordinary, matter-of-fact way of the
present-day world are inclined to
sneer and put little faith in marriages
which result from matrimonial lad"
Yet in Irvington, N. j., reside happy
couple, who first became acquainted
through this means and who met I'M
der circumstances which almost be-
came a tragedy. The latter was sup
piled by a railroad wreck which trans
formed the heroine of this story from
beauty into a cripple. She is. or was,
Eleanor layers, but now she Is Mrs.
]. Edward Ten Eyck, her husband be-
ing a cousin of the famous amateur
oarsman.
Eleanor Fayers, 'just for fun" wrote
to the matrimonial department of
New York newspaper and informed
the editor that she would not be
averse to corresponding with some
nice young man. He inserted her re-
quest In his paper, and In due time
she received 119 replies from all over
the country. Some of the letters were
grave, some gay; most OF them stupid.
They came from all classes of men.
There were lawyers. doctors, hotel
proprietors, chefs, butchers and
bakers among the writer's. One man
said he would marry her If she would
advance him sufficient money to pay
Lis way through college. But Mrs.
Ten Eyck tells the story of her TO
nance in the following words:
"Only one of the letters interested
me. The writer asked me to write
him If was lady. II was not he
didn't want to hear from me.
$50 began my correspondence with
j. Edward Ten Eyck. He found I was
going to Long Island City with my
mother about six weeks after the cor
respondence began. He said he would
be at the station to meet us, and said
he would know me by my picture.
wrote jestingly: Don't be surprised
at what you may see at Long Island
on Sunday 1t was jest that passed
to earnest for just before the train
drew into Long Island City our train
collided with another. There was
terrible pairing IN my ears, a frightful
fall and the first thing knew after
that was lying on the floor of the bag
gage car and my correspondent was
leaning over me and saying: Eleanor,
poor Eleanor!' Somehow we seemed
very close together at that moment.
although we had not seen each other
before. tried to comfort him. Don't
worry said. 1T will be all right soon.'
and then this stranger, who had grown
30 suddenly into my life. cried and
cried IN sympathy.
"When he left me heard him talk
Ing with the doctor.
"'Both limbs brokenT he asked.
"'Yes. and her only hope is to have
them amputated.' A vision of
wretched cripple on crutches came
before me. and tainted. When re-
turned to consciousness my limbs had
been amputated. prayed to die, but
while I was praying a box Of beau
tiful roses with Mr.. Ten Eyck's card
bearing a pretty love message was
brought to me. He knew. and yet he
wrote that he would always love me.
The world turned from gray to rose
color, and 1t has not changed since.
The following evening he came to see
me, tho moment they would allow
him, and every day after that he came
until the hour when left the hospital.
on crutches, 1t is true. but his beloved
and loving wife. The railroad COM
rany made settlement, but the large
sum they paid me is not Of one-mil
lionth part the value OF my husbands
loyalty."-Chicago Chronicle.