The Philipsburg mail., 1899-05-26

John D. Clews, aged 102 years. a
former resident of Springfield, ILL.,, was
married at Franklin. Pa, recently, to
Sarah Jennings, 100 years old, who at
one time was member of Abraham
Lincoln's household. Despite their ad-
vanced years, Mr.. and Mrs. Clews are
still sprightly and active, and on the
day of the wedding people in the
church said: wouldn't give her day
more than co." and, really, for a dam
sci of 100 years, Mrs. Jennings walks
and talks and thinks with creditable
fire and vigor. Behind this singular
marriage lies little romance of the
war, tending to show that the course
of true love will generally end in hap
piness, even after the trials and storms
of a hundred years. 1t was in Spring
field, ILL.,, that they met. John D.
Clews. born in Richmond and tied
down to the law, had ever displayed a
weakness for the life of the soldier,
and when, in 1916, the Mexican war
broke out, he enlisted as private, won
his commission and returned to Rich
mond wearing the captains epaulets.
1t was some years later when, as a
gray-haired thoughtful man of 60, he
began the practice of law in Spring.
field, wnere Abraham Lincoln then
lived. Mr. Lincoln and Mr.. Clews
OFTEN met IN court, and this, with the
abolitionist agitation, then at it's
height, formed the bond that was to
end only with the assassination of the
president. Established in Mr.. Lin
coins home was Miss Jackson, a state
]y, grave, handsome dame, relative Of
Andrew Jackson, and carrying some of
the indomitable expressions of "Old
Hickory" in her face. Between Mr..
Clews and Miss Jackson there arose
one OF those calm, commonplace at
tachments peculiar only to the con-
dition in which they lived, and it was
presently known all through Spring
field that the lawyer and the presi-
dents ward were to be wed. The boys
and the girls might laugh at them and
call them old fools-"Old Abe" himself
might make a few of his inimitable
jokes at their expense-but for this
they did not care. 1t is probable that
they would then have married and set
tied down into peaceful old age had
not the firing on Fort Sumter ended
their plans and disrupted all human
things in this land. The old campaign
fever caught Clews and held him fast.
He must go out, he said, and by and by
at the head of his company he rode
away to join the Army of the Potomac.
IF we were boy and girl instead of
old man and middle-aged woman
could not love you half as we'll as 1 do"
he said to her at parting. 81 shall
carry your image in my heart through
the war. If | am alive when the Union
is saved I will come back to YOU" Mr..
Clews was with Generals Grant and
Sherman. He was one of the first to
go up against that terrible wall at
when the men of the
Union were moved down like sheep.
Under the unerring hail of confederate
bullets he was at the taking of Vicks-
burg and in Sherman's march to the
sea, and he was twice imprisoned in
Libby. The woman waiting at home
wrote and wrote again to her absent
lover, but no word came in reply.
Then one day she heard that he was
dead. Her wait was ended. A year
later she married James Jennings of
Columbus, Ohio. Clews, released from
his prison, and now man without oc-
or career heard that lis
sweetheart was married. For many
years he wandered over the country,
inally setting in Cincinnati. He never
brought to her mind and her heart the
that he was alive, but cher
shed the memory of his only love-
Three years ago one of those strange
accidents which sometimes bless the
unprotected people of this world
the lovers together again. It
vas at a reunion of army veterans that
Mrs. Jennings, now widow, and Mr..
Jlews were formally introduced. AS
Ter eyes fell upon his face she gave
title hysterical cry and laugh ard fell
nto his arms. The story was ended.
They were both 100 years old, and the
Oldest couple in Pennsylvania, but this
title matter did not trouble them. 'I
eel as If my wife and myself had re-
lewed our youth" says Clews. "Our
Election is mellowed and softened by
ime. Don't be surprised if we live
mother hundred years."