The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-11-03

Down in South Carolina, at one of the
Oldest and most arisIocrauc towns in the
State. there is Il sad little love AT
fair that promises interesting develop
ments Indeed, this little romance, which
is somewhat in the nature of a tragedy
of hearts. has been carried to the atten-
ton of the War Department i'll Washing
ton. "Details are now being awaited, and
all kinds of pulls are being worked TO
punish Il dashing young army officer for
jiltipS one of the prettiest and sweetest
girls in tf,, Palmetto State.
70 appreciate this pathetic heart mar
rative, the reader will have to go back 10
the beginning and follow me through. 1t
is a touching story. in which love and
disappointment courtship and final rup--
1ure forced poor little Cupid to bow his
head in humiliation over his failure TO
unite two young throbbing hearts, and,
in popular parlance, TO go way back
and sit down..
A PEACEFUL PLACE.
Chester is a quiet little town on the
Seaboard, Southern and Carolina and
NORTH western railroads up in the north
western part Of South Carolina. 1t is 4
drowsy place. where katydids iarSuc dis
puted points in big elm trees on hot SUM
mer nights. while young lovers with
that ardor born and nu;Turcd by Il balmy
SOQsRCTn CHING lenutilN WV VIZ w odo w
randas where sways drca1nily beneath
toneysuckle vines and rose bowers the
proverdial summer hammock. 1t is a very
old town. Its population varies little
from census to census. Few outsiders
settle there; nobody ever moves away. Its
people are largely descendants of origin
i al settlers, and everybody is akin to
everybody else--a great family. SO TO
speak, on sufficiently congcnial terms to
ir1-i tn tea Rpincr
old town. its people are refined. cultured
end proud Of their lineage, Pure cavalier
blue blood flows through their Veins.
while the number of black sheep in most
of ire leading families of the place Tor
generations back can be counted on your
fingers.
chester is a picturesque place. Spacious
old homes. with a dinsy colonial appear
ance. have been handed down from faith
er TO SON. Some of them have
g,een the scene of famous house-part!es.
where Cupid Invariably cainped out Tor a
harvest and members of these parties
usually looked for wedding announce
ments shortly afterwards.
In Chester there is delightful social lifc
People know who each other are The cs,.-
slren make mud pies with each other: be-
come sweethcarts at an early age: grow
,,, to maturity together and finally wed
and settle down under the shadow of the
old family homes. Thus it goes on from
year To year. and Chester remains The
Same sleepy. dingy. hospitah!c little town.
where nobody has much money. but
everybody. having retired on comoa-
tcnce. believes in having "A good time So
cially to-day and letting The morrow take
care OF itself.
YOUNG COVERS.
This is the atmosphere in which were
reared Willie Crawford and Rebecca
Douglass. Each was tsiessed with brains.
n heart. good blood and refined family
Influences. Their parents We're repre-
sentative Carolinians and proud as they
were cultured. crawford was a bright
: lad lie developed rapidly in menta!
attachments and grew mp TO be a fine
looking youth. lie possessed n splendid
s,i,ysieue. was exceedingly ,hanaone. a
frank. manly fellow with n clear. honest
eye and a high open forehead. Every
thing was in his favor. He received a
good education and everybody took u
him. When he grew up to manhood he