The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1899-10-14
A STRANGE ROMANCE.
RECALLED BY THE FINDING OF
A PICTURE.
Was This TheodOsIa Burr?-Discovery
of a Portrait in North Carolina Gives
a CIew to Her ~Fate-Story of a Tragic
Disappearance.
(Snecial Ietter.l

NOPNNAhi hNhNNAJ
A portrait, believed to be that of
Theodosia Burr Aston, the Inflated
daughter Of the more Inflated Aaron
Burr, has come to light in Elizabeth
City, N. c., and with the portrait have
emerged some details that may reno
the veil of grewsome mystery which
has always ~enveloped the eliminating
tragedy in her life.
The story of her fathers career is
one of the most picturesque in Amer
lean annals, and she contributes to it
one of its most picturesque episodes.
Shrewd, crafty, polished and witty, this
son of a New Jersey clergyman had
deftly and sinuously made his way up
ward, adroitly availing himself of the
foibles of men and the frailties of
women, until, in 1880, he received a tie
vote with Jefferson in the electoral
college for president of the United
States.
II was this daughter who formed the
heart omance Of his life. Her in
domitable fidelity was henceforth all
that linked him to the world of man.
She had had a joyful welcome into his
world, the beautiful girl who was to
have so terrible an exit from it. Every
step of her education had been
thoughtfully superintended by a father
who was always kind if not always
wise. He resolved that she should
grow up supreme among all the women
of the land.
"If l could foresee," he wrote to his
wife in the days of her infancy, that
Theo would become a mere fashionable
woman, with all the attendant frivolity
and vacuity of mind, adorned with
whatever grace and allurement,I would
earnestly pray God to take her forth
with hence. But l yet hope, by her,
to convince the world what neither sex
appears to ~believe-that women have
souls!"
So she grew up a well educated, well
hammered, brilliant, witty and most es-
Unable young lady. The cares of
~womanhood had been early thrust upon
her. At fourteen her mother had died
and she had become the sole sharer of
her fathers home, the mistress of his
household, the friend and companion
of his mind. Then, in 1900, came the
separation. But it came in its least
poignant form. She was wooed and
married by a young gentleman of
South Carolina, who was every way
worthy of her. His name was Joseph
Aston.
1t is true that South Carolina was
then a twenty days journey from New
York. That was the most serious
drawback to the marriage for both ia
Their and daughter. But T~heodosia
made long and frequent visits to the
home of her childhood. She wrote
back letters full Of eXuberant rapture
about the scenery around New York,
the society within it, and, above all,
about the renewed delights of her IA
theirs companionship. Sometimes Mr..
Aston accompanied her on these
visits. Later another travelling COM
paniOn was added.
This was Master Aaron Burr Aston.
He was Theodosia's only child. Next
to Theodosia he grew to be the dear
est object on earth to Grandpa Burr.
That gentleman was never weary of
TIC Tau . COMPANY WACu AC was az
Richmond Hill, nor could he ever hear
enough of his childish exploits and say
ings when he was at home.
Early in 1906 he turned his face to-
ward the great west, which was then a
new country. He went down the Ohio
river in a flatboat. A few miles below
Marietta he came in SIGHT of an island,
calm, secure, romantic, which took its
name of Blennerhasset from the eccen-
trio Irish gentleman who owned it and
made it his home. Burr stopped here,
made the acquaintance of Mr.. Blenner-
hasset, and took notes of the military
capabilities of his home. AS ne pro-
ceeded on his journey, first down the
Ohio, then the Mississippi, he carefully
surveyed the scenery all the way down
to New Orleans. Huge projects were
revolving in his head, which were en-
couraged by the cordial greetings he
received in Louisiana.
The government at Washington, he