Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1903-08-21
THE BRIDE DID THE COURTING.

Love born in the instant glance of
woman's eye towards man seventeen
years her junior, and so ardent in char
acter that it induced her to seek him out
and propose marriage, has made two
well known Philadelphia families the
center of strange tale of romance and
tragedy.
Cecilia Marie Twibill and James Ward
Gaffney are man and wife, and they
say they are happy, but as a consequence
of their union the father of the bride is
dead from shock, and the father of the
groom has disinherited his son, after
vainly offering him $25, 900 to relinquish
the woman.
Mrs. Gafney 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. GafTney, who lives at No. 42O0
Chester Avenue.
1t was because Of the disparity in
their ages that the parents of both
strenuously opposed the marriage, but,
after several fruitless 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-five years. AS
consequence he died yesterday from heart
failure. In the meantime young Calf
ney, spurning all his fathers tempting
offers to leave his bride Of two days, had
been renowned and cast off.
notwithstanding this combination OF
grievious 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.
The story began few months ago,
when Miss Twibill went 10 live with her
brother, Aloysius Twibill, No. 1Oll
Farraont Terrace. West IA.
which is only short dist .e
Gafney residence.
One Sunday it hapT
young Gaffney and Mis-
stout and prepossessi
attended the Church H..
Sales, at Forty-seventh
Springfield Avenue. What har.
then is best told in the words OF tn,
bride:
T saw the man who was to be my
, husband in a pew opposite" she said
az Immediately fell in love with him
His handsome, honest countenance wa
|, one to attract any girl, and coulC
scarcely wait until services were over
! After church approached him and IN
! troduced myself, and he seemed please
to meet me. learned he was Jane
Ward Gsffhey, twenty-three years ole
We exchanged salutstions and | invite.
him e call and see me at my home. II
called the following Thursday evening
Is and I introduced him to my father, VIII
J, was at the house. Father was ais
a pleased with him and complimented m
y on nv new acquaintance.
70 oFrom that night on felt as thong
I could not live without him. He WI
lust too sweet for anything. The follow
! ing Sunday we went together to churcl
. and on our way there | asked him
marry me.
"Biess him, James really consented, for
g. said he also loved me dearly. His father,
n said. was the only obstacle in the path OF o.
d. connubial bliss. 'Wby?' asked. Oh
replied, Dad is eccentric. He has heard
our mad love and thinks you are too old
no me-
ot " Indeed l rejoined, If you love m
a. sweetheart, you will not let your father COZ
ne between US.
he "This made petty afraid he would lose n
M and he advised an elopement Immediately
- " Just the thing, Icried, and We won't :
" q single soul about il until we are married.
Eve thea applied to Father O'neill, OF
NV Francis De Sales Church, 70 oficiate, but
on said we would have 10 have our fathers Ct
I'm sent because was seventeen years older "a
James, as though such trife would stop