Sunday Washington globe., 1902-01-26

Grant Crumey has been acquitted by
Cripple Greek jury of the murder Of sam
Strong. The verdict was that the killing
was done in self defense The decision is
generally regarded as quite Just aud adds
another link to romantic chain of incl
dents-one of the most romantic love tales
yet told in the big stirring West
1t is a moderu version Of King Cophetua
and the beggar maid.
The beggar maid however was not liter.
ally such; only poor very, very poor when
the king of mOuey-makers came her way.
Her name was Regina Neville.
At sixteen ragged barefoot girl in the
mining regions Of Colorado.
At eighteen widow with fortune in her
own right of S. 100000
At sixteen without money to purchase
even the coarsest quality Of shoes or the
cheapest calico for gown
At eighteen one Of the weaithiest mine
owners in the Southwest with a wardrobe
that a princess might sigh enviously to
possess
From log cabin in mountain wilder
ness to a palatial home in Denver From
humblest obscurity and poverty to social
prominence and the brilliant haunts of
wealth
Strangely interesting, Is NOT, this storvof
Regina Nevile's extraordinary transition
from the least that world can give woman
/ to the most that it can bestow2
It was love that wrought the miraculous
change in her affairs. And never did Cupid
do his usually mischieyous work to kinder
advantage Never did woman more crate.
fully bear the hOuOrs and favors heaped
upon her. Never, indeed was loves tale
prettier than this one.
Two years ago no girl OF sixteen in all the
great state Of Colorado was more beautiful
than Regina Neville. None could have
been poorer.
To-day It can still be said that no young
woman of eighteen in Colorado is more
beautiful than Regina Strong. None, it is
declared, is richer
Crowded with incident have been the
past two years for Mrs. Strong During
those twenty-four months she has known
what it is to be transported from lonely
mountain cabin in Colorado to the CAV
bOulevards Of Paris, and back to Colorado
as the mistress Of magnificent home.
Maid, wife, widow-all these has she been
in those eventful two years
Her father was poor man and dis
cOuraged one. For years fate had gone
steadily against him Other miners around
him had made their pile" while he toiled
on unrewarded With his wife and daugh-
ter he lived in a cabin a stones throw from
the famous Bonanza Strong Mine His only
riches lay in the possession of the woman
and the child who bore his name. Il graft
fed him that the petite slip of girl growing
up among the miners at Victor was the
prettiest object in all the country round,
81. 9
miners who would not take the longest
route to his work it he could get glimpse
of her face on the way.
The change came suddenly.
One day the owner of the Bonanza Strong
Mine was making his solitary way along the
trail from Midway TO the Free Coinage
Mine, To his surprise he came face to face
with a distractingly pretty girl sixteen
years old. The trail was narrow and he
stepped aside respectfully to let her pass.
The girl raised her eyes indifferently to
his as she went by. They were lovely
eyes. That glance marked the turning
point in her life for by it she won the heart
of the bluff miner-won itby single sweep
of the long lashes. Then she went steadily
| on, forgetting the next moment the big
stranger, more than twice her years, who
had looked at her pretty face with such
ardent admiration.
Sam Strong did not care that the girl was
shabbily dressed aud barefooted He saw
that she was uucommonly attractive and
/ graceful, and that she carried with much
care a bundle of school books under her
arm.
To the first man he met he put the ques-
ton who is the pretty barefoot girl
around these diggings?
old man Nevilles daughter" was the
prompt reply It was the easiests question
to answer that could have been asked.
Who, indeed, could it be but Regina
Neville1
Sam Strong lost no time in his wooiug.
He went straight to the little log cabin that
housed his divinity, and told John Neville
point blank that he wanted to marry his
daughter. There was little OF eutreaty in
his manner. He was perfectly well aware
that he had millions and that the father had
nothing, aud figured that such a suitor
would not be dismissed But Neville was
too fond of his daughter to urge her to any
marriage that might be Objectionable to
her, and so he told Strong that he must do
his own counting in his own way; that he
would not interfere; if he could win her he
would not withhold his consent In short,
Regina might do exactly as she pleased
about marrying any man, rich or poor
What happened after that happened
quickly. Sam Strong was an impatient
wooer And although Regina had never
had a sweetheart and although her head
was filled with thoughts Of lessons rather
than lovers, and Strong was by no means
the youthful mate whom one would have
chosen for the peachy checked child Of the
mountains, matters came to precisely the
climax that Strong was determined they
should. Regina, forsooth fell as madly ia
love with him as he had fallen in love with
her on the trail the day they met
She stayed in love, too. She stayed 50
steadfasuy that now he Is dead and gone,
she IS grieviug her young heart in melan-
choly solitude refusing to be comforted.
The wedding took place in simplest
fashion IN the little log cabin.
Regina wore shoes for the first time on
her wedding day. She was radiant as a