The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-02-13
OLD VIRGINIA LOVE TALE.
Plantation Lovers Joined After Nearly
Forty Years.

>
An old colcrei man appeared at the
clerks office yesterday and applied for a
license to marry. His age must have been
up near the limit of the allotted score. But
his figure WIS straight, and even the white
nao On his head lost some OF his aged !ook
when one saw his eyes bright with excite
ment fer Susanna had consented 10 be
his wife When questioned as TO why ne
had waited SO long TO enter the path OF
matrmony. he said he had been the VIC
tim of circumstances. That tate more
cruel than Details the lot OF one in thou
sand had trod upon his tracks ana lett
him the ashes OF a love unfulhlied
Before the war, or during the war, he
had loved Susanna. All the preparations
for a grand plantation wedding We're in
r,rocress The old man remembers every
plan OF the details OF getting ready. When
suddenly tbs. war closed. The negroes ran
in a manic from the Yankees and he was
hiding i'll the woods when sheridan came
through with his troops he, IN company
with another negro. lived on anything they
could Get for four days. Then they stole
bacl, to the plantation. There everything
WAS changed.
The negroes We're scattered and Their
homes broken up Some had gene with me
northern troops and some had gone OIL 10
zoe La
homestead OF his master had been burned.
A few of the slaves remained, ana rom
these he learned that Susanna, believing
him caught I'D and killed or made q ser
want by the Yankee-thiS was the he
erots' unreasoning idea in many cases re-
sarding Sheridan and his troops, that they
were inhuman and cruel-had ioilo"eu
her Young mistress to Richmond, where
the family went after the home place mad
been destroyed.
He worked on a, neighboring piantatloh
fer three years and got enough money -
% 10 Richmond to look for Susanna He
got there. but, in his Ignorance, couid
make no ineligible inquiries. So she was
lost IN him N, >tor was the negro's name;
went back TO the county where he or1Si-
nal1v came from and has worked there
eyer since. Susanna followed the fortunes
of her Young mistress, and mas peeii lf'e
NANNY in the family tor nearly ioi's
wears Three weeks ago the lady, III COIL
many with Susanna as attendant, Went
tack TO the old plantation Ihat u.s. Sie
went hack to look at the old nome place.
The farm had long been SOD ana ulNlueu
up but the old streams were the Same anu
.hara were MANY old landmarks that had
stood the raNages or aof'S SeNi9 -
was working for y farmer on part OF Inc
! land.
He owned a little tract h-Inseh am"
..v,or,.a5 ON shears a few acres OF the
hicr farm He had remained true 10 ms
;,s.,,, 1--we and had never married q -s'c1
very singular, for the negro IS easily cos
|. so!.d in MS love affairs that nave soiie
wrong. He and Susanna happened to meet
-, was out looking over
the old place, and the love Of their youth
The lady heard the story of the tirSt love
.,,,, 1h..1 S,na,,.;,on and furnished Susanna
with a grand outfit for the weddlns. , De
sides making old Hector present % VIZ
seemed to him a small fortune IN noheS.
The marriage took place lass hlsht. aiia
Susan9a;s mistress came anu
the ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 11i'aes