The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-09-07
(Richmond Dispatch.)

Spartanburg S. c., July 19-The fol-
lowing item of news was given out in
this city yesterday:
"MARRIED.-In this city today, Mr..
Ralph Redmond and Miss Lou Paris
The happy couple left Immediately for
the city of Baltimore, where the groom
holds responsible position with the
electric car company and where he and
his bride Will make their home"
This announcement brings to mind a
tragedy which occurred in 1894 in the
little town of Tryon City. just over the
line in North Carolina, on the Spartan
burg and Asheville railroad, which is
replete with romance and the devotion
of man and woman to each other, al
though growing out of tragedy.
Upon the south side of the Blue Ridge
and ranging to the top is the town of
Tryon City, in Polk county, and State OF
North Carolina. This town is named
for Governor Tryon, who camped for
some time during the Revolutionary war
on the site where the town is now To-
Gated. Here, when the atmosphere is
clear, the most gorgeous sunrises are to
be seen. Standing on top of the Blue
Ridge, 1000 feet above the level of the
sea- the sun, as it appears in the valley
and through the blue halo of the far east,
looks like a great electric headlight
turned on the earth from the planet
Mars. To stand and observe all the tints
of the far-reaching plains, which open
out in broad expanse before you and
stretching TO the seashore, as the light
gradually becomes more and more dis
tnct, and the colors form and change
and then finally disappear over the earth,
is a scene never to be forgotten, and of
which the vision never grows tired.
And as this great daily exhibition of
nature is repeated the observer cannot
fail to note the great range of noun
tains, whose sides and tops are one solid
block of granite, with erags and caves
and bursted stone, all pointing to some
powerful and terrible throe of nature,
when these formations were made. The
splendor of all this seems coupled with
the power that brought forth these re-
suits, fills the mind with marvellous
wonder and in the aftertime whether
the observer stands by the pyramids or
by any other of the wonders of this world
which are the handiwork of mankind,
after full contemplation of these, his
tains of this and other countries as their
tops rise to the sky amid the clouds as
the work of nature never to be equalled
by the results of brain and hand.
And here in all parts of the noun
famous country is love of country more
intense than on the plains In these
hooks and coves and valleys amid the
mountains and on their sides the people
without regard to their former political
utilization, were lovers of the union-the
united country-and they never gave up
this love- and many thousands of them
left their homes and families and fought
and died to prevent the union from being
dismembered.
In the town of Tryon City in the year
1894 there lived family by the name
of Paris. The head of this family was
a widow. She had several children, the
eldest being a daughter of about II years
old, named Lou. This girl was as beauti-
full as dewdrop and was the belle of the
town. Her only deficiency was the lack
of education. Her physical attachments
were without a blemish. Her hair was
the counterpart of the raven, and heI
eyes were so black that they scintillated
like sparks in a night of impenetrable
darkness. Her complexion was as white
as the first CLEAN from sunrise. She was
as modest and as pure as the blossom
and bud and flowers on the shrubs and
trees, whose company she kept every day
of the spring time
Is it any wonder she was the belle
Her youth had been spent in making the
farm and helping her mother with hel
house wifery. Her parents had con
sidered education a luxury, which was
not permitted to share their thoughts
and Miss Lou at IL years of age, coulC
scarcely read and write her name.
About four miles from Tryon City II
the PARTS farm. Here the family re
sided until Miss Lou was IS years of age
In 1898 the family moved to Tryon City
and opened a boarding house for summe
tourists for which this little town i
noted Adjoining the Paris farm wa'
the homestead of the Redmond family
The Redmonds were related to the famed
outlaw and moonshiner of that name
whose residence and operations were il
this State. The son, Ralph Redmond
was q few years older than Lou Paris
and they saw much of each other as the!
grew up. The little schooling received
by Miss Lou was at the log cabin witt
Ralph. As they became older their init
macy opened into warmer affection
and when the Paris family changed