Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1903-04-23

There are a few moments in
mans life which linger so long and
tenderly in the memory as that in
which his eyes first rested on the |
face Of the woman who was destin-
ed 10 become his life companion,
the sharer of all his joys and sor-
rows.
''Oh, Edward, do look therei Did
you ever see such lovely face? l
wonder who she can be?" exclaimed
Mrs. Bulwer to her son at a literary
gathering in London one day, three
quarters Of a century ago; and the
son turned his eyes languidly in the
direction his mother indicated, to
find them arrested by the most beau
tiful vision be had ever seen. That
glance of moment sealed his fate,
for Rosina Wheeler became the wife
Of the young man who was later TO
be known to fame as Lord Lytton.
There was little that was roman
tic in the first meeting Of Kean, the
great tragedian, and the lady who
was to bear his name. Ii was on
the stage of the Cheltenham Theater
that Charles Kean and Miss Cham
bers, a pretty young actress, first
saw each other. WHO'S that shah
by little man with the brilliant eyes?"
Miss Chambers asked in the hearing
of the King of the stage. And
who, Kean retorted by asking aloud,
is that odd little woman"
From this singularly inauspicious
opening Kean S love drama proceed
ed so swiftly that before a month
had gone the curtain was rung
down at the altar.
SCOTS first passion took its origin
in shower, when he calamity Of
fered his umbrella to a charming
girl, as she was leaving church. 1t
was not long before the proffer of
his umbrella was followed by an of
fer of his hand, which was accepted
equally as graciously.
1t was at the first performance of
his "sylvana" at Frankfort that
Weber, the famous composer, met
his matrimonial fate. At the close
of the opera the applause was deaf
ening, and the delighted audience
clamored loudly for the composer,
who, overwhelmed by nervousness,
declined to show himself. AT this
iuncture Miss Caroline Brandt,
whose singing had contributed much
to the success of the performance,
seized hold of Weber's hand and
dsagged him by main force before
the curtain. 1t was with much less
reluctance that he held the same
hand later at the altar.
Describing his first meeting with
his wife Bishop Hall wrote: Walk
ing from the church with grave
and reverend minister, saw a come
ly and modest gentlewoman stand
ing at the door of that house where
we were invited to wedding din
ner, and inquired of that worthy
friend whether he knew her. Yes
quoth he, i know her well and have
bespoken her for your wife.
Cobbett, as the world knows, first
saw the girl who was to become such
devoted wife when her arms were
deep in the soapshuds of a wash
tub. That the girl for mel" ex-
claimed the young soldier, as he
then was, and FIVE years the maid
Of the wash tub" became Mrs. Cob
bett.
Balzac was gazing through the
window OF a Swiss inn when his
reverie was broken by the sweet
voice of girl asking if he would al
low her to remove her book from
the window seat against which he
was leaning. The lady was the
Princess Hanski, who later lowered
the composer with her love and
riches.
When Archbishop TAFT was first
introduced TO his future wife she was
bnsily engaged in making the very
pair of slippers which, unAnown to
both of them, he was to wear during
their honeymoon; aud the first
glimpse Miss Read had of Benjamin
Franklin was as he passed her house
on his return from Bakers shop
with roll tucked under each arm,
while he was diligently eatiug
third.
Miss Glynne' attention was first
drawn cher distinguished husband,
Mr.. Gladstone, at the dinner table
of mutual friend. Take careful
note of that young man," her neigh
Dor whispered to her, ''for one day
he will be Prime Minister of Eng
land"
Warren Hastings fell a victim to
the charms of Baroness Imhoff DUR
ing a voyage to India, when he had
the misfortune TO become seriously
i'll, and owed his life to the tender
nursing of the fair German lady.