The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1901-10-23
A RARE CASE.
A Lady True to Her TroHh FIR
Flrty Years.
she LOVED NO OTHER.
The Pathetic Story Of q Florida
Maiden Lady Whose sw aet-
hsart Died a Hsro's

The story Of the life Of Miss Nina
Kessinger, an aged maiden lady, who
lives on faim near Jacksonville, Fla,
is quickly told; but it is interesting,
inssmush az it shows the strength Of
Womsn's devotion ard unfolds q 70.
nantic story Of love and war.
Although Miss Kessinger has lived
all her life Of ifty-nine years upon q
little farm less ghan one mile from this
city, and has always had full control
Of all her faculties, she has not been
within the corporate limits Of Jackson
Villc for over thirsy.eight years. She
does her daily duties about her little
farm, and always has a CORDIAL vel
coma for the many curious sightseers
from town, but she persistently refuses
to 90 into the city, which has now grown
out Of all semblsnce to the struggling
village she last saw s,'mostfour decades
ago.
During sll this time she has never
been oyer one hundred yards from the
boundary line of her farm, and it is
very rarely that she leaves it at all.
In 1860, Rhen Miss Kesslnger was in
her eighteenth year, a young man, son
Of a neighbo1ing farmer, fell in love
with her, and his affections were re-
cirrocated By Miss Ks.sirger. The
parents Of the young lady, however,
slrenuously cbieeted.
When war vas declared this young
man rallied to the support Of the flag,
and in 1861 John Trehea-ne left the
county to join his fortunes with many
other gallant soldier boys.
The regiment left for the front the
n=xt morning amid cheers Of the ad-
miring friends Of the brave soldieT boys
and the happies$ man in the regiment
vas John Grehesrne, who carried wish
him his sSeetaearG's promise to marry
hin upon his return from the front
with the honors Of war.
One day Miss Kessinger received
letter which made her heart leap to
her threat and remain there, as it were
"a lump too large to swallow. Her
lover Hrote to her feE short lines ap-
pEising hor OF his WOUNDS, from which
the doctors gave little hope that he
would recover. To be sure that it would
aeVer fall into unfrisndly hands, he
re.urned the small testament she had
given him before no Ieft, and also sent
bsck one-aslf OF he lock OF her hair
which he had Worn next lis heart du-
ring all the time he had been apart
from ker. As proof that ne had worn
it near his heart, he called attention
to the Stains Waioh his life's blood had
left upon the dsrk brown hair as the
vital fluid gushed from his breast,
which had been torn by rebel bulIes
while he>was in the front Of charg-
ing column. 5he wrote an immediate
reply and announced to him her inten-
tion Of rebelling against her parents
will, saying shs would start for his
bedside the Monday morning follow
ing.
Before she left town in the evening
another mail arrived, and Miss Kes.
singer received short note from the
nurse, saying that with his dying
breath her lover had asked her to in
form his sweetheart Of his death and
to assure her that be died true to his
VOWS and with her beloved name on his
lips.
The body Of the dead soldier arrived
within few days, and Miss Kessinger
attended the funeral in deep mourn
ing garb.
Har parents relented and did ali in
their poaer to lessen the great mental
suffering Of the distracted girl but
Miss Kessinser never recovered from
she shock. From that day to this she
has never been within the corporate
limits Of Jacksonville, and has never
been more than one hundred yards from
the farm " which is now her own. Neither
has she ever received attentions from
any other man, preferring during sll
these years TO remain trus TO her SOL
dier lover, who left forty years ago
with lovers vow to love none other
until life rhail be 70 more.