The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-07-14
CUPID'S MADCAPPRANKS
FIRST MEETINGS OF WELL-KNoWN
MEN WITH THEIR FUTURE WIVES.

Subject in which Interest Never Flags
Marriage has always been one of
the worlds greatest themes. Interest
never flags in the subject. Men have
tired of their own matrimonial expert
ence sometimes, but of other peoples s,
never.
The great thing, as wise philoso-
pher said, is to get the right girl.
There is no stereotyped way of get
ting her. just as men have found
different ways of proposing, 30 there
have been endless ways in which
men have met their fates. A romantic
element is mixed up with most love
affairs.
Horace Greeley and Mary Young
Cheney were married the first day
they met. They had corresponded
for some time, a mutual friend, who
was something of matchmaker, hav.
ing brought this about. She was
young aud beautiful and all his fancy
painted her, but she was much dis
appointed in his appearance. so much
so that when he appeared before her,
having proposed aud been accepted
by letter and the marriage day fixed,
she frankly told him that, although
she married him, she was not in love
with him. Their married life was long
and happy and the loss of his wife
was blow which he did not long sur
vive.
The second time that Bismarck met
Fraulein Johanna Puttkammer he
kissed her soundly in the presence of
a number of guests. The immediate
effect of this embarrassing and shock
ing behavior was the prompt an
nouncement of the betrothal, which
was soon followed by the marriage.
Fraulein Puttkammer was a brides
maid for friend the first time Bis
marck saw her. These two young
people, as Rosalind says, mo sooner
met than they looked, no sooner
looked than they loved"
The first marriage OF Jefferson Davis
was of romantic character. Falling
desperately in love with Sally Taylor,
daughter of Zachary Taylor, who did
not approve of the attachment, the
young people took matters in their
own hands and eloped. Sixteen years
passed before "Old lack" would
speak to his SON. n-law, and then it
was because he and his regiment had
covered themselves with glory at the
battle of Buena Vista.
The first time Mary Todd met Lin:
coin she said 10 her sister: "That man
will be president one of these days.
He will make husband to be proud
Of" About that time Lincoln's
chances of becoming president seemed
as remote as possible, and Mary's
sister laughed the idea to scorn. A
few months afterward Mary Todd was
married to "Ugly Abe" and in IA
years the prediction was fulfilled. As
a child, the future Mrs. Lincoln had
prophesied that she would become
the wife of president of the United
States.
The first August Belmont's mar
riage to Commodore Perry's daughter
grew out of duel. At his first meet
ing with the lady. q blooming Balti-
more lelle, at the theatre, he chal-
lenged man who made some re-
mark rejecting on women generally.
When the smoke from the simultane-
Gus fire of the two pistols had cleared
away it was found that the bully had
bullet through his heart and Bel
mont ball in the leg. He became
the hero of the hour, proposed to the
beautiful Miss Perry and was accept
e1. He said that it was her noble
face that nerved him to resent the
imputation on her sex.
With Henry Stanley, the explorer,
it was "love my daughter, love me"
Mrs. Tenant persistently refused to
consent to her daughters marrying.
dolly is all that 1 have. left and 1
cannot-shall not-part with her."
But to entreaties she finally yielded.
81 want your daughter for my wife,"
Stanley said. ''Give her to me, and
do you at the same time become my
mother, father, brother and sister"
"She is yours, replied mamma, land
so am J." That, in brief, is the story
of Stanley's wooing, and Mrs. Ten
nant is his as irreparably and indis.
solubly as her daughter is, and Mr..
Stanley is said to he a model husband
and tractable and obedient son.
1t was through his novel, 1.-THE
Scalp Hunters, that Captain Maine
Reid won bride. He was 80 years
old when he met damsel of 10, with
whom he at once fell in love. The.
child, of course, took no notice of
him, but he gave her the story to
read-as effective a manner of court
ing in this nineteenth century as ever
was Othello's in an earlier one. Two
yeal later the young lady was at
public meeting where Captain Reid
spoke on behalf of the Polish refugees.
IAN electric thrill seemed to pass
me as he entered the room,"
she afterward said, and when the
meeting was over she went mp and
spoke to him. 81 leave for London
On the next train" he said, hurriedly.
please send me your address,"
81 do not know where" she re-
piled, with some embarrassment. He
instantly handed ont his card and was
gone. A formal little note followed
Dear Captain Reid, as you asked me
20 send you my address l do So" By
,eturn of post came the answer.
''Only say that you love me and
will be with Won at once and then
he reply, 81 think 1 do love you."
Needless to say that there is nothing
Is good as this in the lovers novels.
Being told by friend that Miss
SIS eyes possessed the property of
double refra ction, Sir George Airy,
he noted astronomer, exclaimed
Dear me, that is very odd;.I should
ike to see that. Do you think 1
night venture to call?" As he was
on this roint, be took heart
Of grace aud called. in the course of