The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-08-21
PARENTS OF BOTH
MADE OBJECTION
The Couple Slipped Away but News Of
the Marriage Killed the Brides
Father and Made the Groom's
Parent Dislnherit Him.
Are supreme'y
Happy.
Especial to The Times-Dlspatch.)

PHILADELPHIA, August 20.-Love
born in the instant glance Of a womans
eye towards man seventeen years her
Junior. and so ardent in character that 1t
induced her to seek him out and pro-
pose marriage, has made two well known
philadelphia families the center OF a
strange tale OF romance and tragedy
Cecilia Marie Twiblll and James Ward
Gaffney are man and wife. and they
say they are happy, but as consequence
OF their union the father Of the bride Is
dead from shock, and the father OF the
groom has dIsnherited his son, after
yainly offering him $4,000 to relnquish
the woman.
Mrs. Gaffney Is forty years old and her
husband is only twenty-three. She is
the daughter OF George A. Twibill, real
estate dealer at No. 100 Spring Garden
Street, and he the son OF Thomas j. Gaff-
ney, who lives at No. 420s Chester Ave
nue..
Parents Objected.
It was because OF tho disparity in their
ages that the parents OF both strenuously
opposed the marriage, but. after several
frutless attempts. the pair slipped away
to Chester on Tuesday and found an
alderman who made them man and wife.
A telegram announcing the fact was
sent to Mr.. Twibill. father Of the bride.
on Wednesday night. and the shock was
too great for his eighty-flve years. AS
consequence he died to-day from heart
failure. In the meantime young Gaffney.
spurning all his fathers tempting offers
renounced and cast off.
notwithstanding this combination OF
grievous events, both he and his bride
declared that they are supremely happy
in their union, and that nothing In the
world shall ever separate them.
Love on Sight.
The story began few months ago.
when Miss Twibill went to live with her
brother, Aloysius Twibill. at No. 1o11
Farragut Terrace, West Philadelphia,
which Is only short distance from the
Gaffney residence.
One Sunday 1t happened that both
young Gaffney and Miss Twibill, who Is
stout and prepossesslng In appearance,
attended the Church Of ST. Francis La
Sales, at Forty Street and
then Is best told In the words OF tho
bride:
II saw the man who was TO be" my
husband in a pew opposite" she said.
~ Immediately fell in love with him. His
handsome. honest countenancc was one
to attract any girl, and could scarcely
wait until services were over After
church approached him and introduced
myself. and he seemed pleascd to meet
me, learned he was james Ward Gafr-
ney, twenty-three years old We ex-
changed salutatons and invited hin,
to call and see me at my home. Ha
called tho following Thursday evening,
and introduced him to my father who
was at the house. Father was also
pleased with him and complImented me
on my new acquaintance.
could not live without him. He was
just too sweet for anything. Tho follow
Ing Sunday we went together to church.
and on our way there ! asked him to
marry me.
BLESS him. James readily consented.
for he said he also loved me dearly. Ills
father he said. was the ony obstacle in
asked Oh he replied, Dad Is eccen-
trIc. He has heard OF our mad love and
thinks you are too old for me-
" Indeed l rejoined, II you love mo,
sweetheart, you will not let your father
come between u.s.
"Ths made petty afraid he would lose
me. and he advised an elopement I'M
medlatcly.
"Just the thing cried, and we
won't tell a single soul about 1t until we
are married.
Such a Tr;fle,
1--WE then applied to Father o'Neill,
Of St. Francis De Sales Church, to Of
flciate, hut he said we would have Ia
|,haye our fathers consent. because ] was
seventeen years older than James, as
though such a trlne would stop us.
"Well, nothing daunted, we left home
and went to New York, but even there
the nasty cergymen would not tie the
happy knot. We tried every Catholic
minister In New York, do believe, but
had to leave In disgust.
"Then a happy thought came to James
Let's go to Chester said he. Oh you
dear tootsy- wootsy,' replied 'arn't you
resourceful thought Then to Chester
we went, and last Tuesday Alderman N
w Garrike made us man and wfe oh,
I'm so happy. See, hero Is our marriage