The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1904-05-13
Anniversary
...FlOW erS
lOriginal.1

but will give you a note of introduc-
ton to a family who may consent to
take you into their home"
The letter was to Miss Colburn, a
middle aged spinster who lived with
her brother, a few. years older than
herself, and sister few years youn-
ger. was received into the family
and provided with every comfort at
their disposal Great stress was laid
upon the fact that ! lived in New
York. For some reason New York
seemed to them to be Mecca, Jeru-
salem, a Bethlehem, place holier
than other places. None of them had
ever been there and knew nothing
about what wicked city New York
is. did not enlighten them for fear of
touching some tender spot, some grief
with which the place was connected.
I noticed that only Mr.. Colburn and
the younger Miss Colburn ever re-
ferred to New York, and when they did
so the elder sister, Mary, maintained
perfect silence, as if they were speak
ing of the tomb of some one well be-
loved.
One day l noticed on a table in the
living room a vase filed with a dozen
American Beauty roses. also noticed
that the members Of the family spoke
low and trod softly.
That evening the sisters went up.
stairs early, the brother remaining be-
low with me.
II wonder" he said, eff you know in
New York Mr.. Theodore CarrollY
81 do not" replied.
He looked surprised.
"You must remember" added, "that
New York is very large city,"
Then he grew confidential and gave
me an explanation of what to me had
been a mystery. A quarter Of q cen.
tury before man had appeared in the
village to make it his headquarters for
the time that he would remain in the
vicinity while making surveys on the
railroad that was then being located"
He was thirty-five years old, college
graduate, and had charge Of the en-
cheering work of that division of the
road. Like myself, he had been lodged
at the Colburns', the father and mother
of the family being at that time living.
He fell in love with Mary Colburn,
then eighteen, and his love was return.
ed. Notwithstanding that he was city
born and bred and she country girl,
he asked her to marry him, and she
consented.
Preparations were made for the we'd
ding, which was to take place as soon
as Carroll concluded his engineering
work on that division of the railroad.
Mary was supremacy happy. Carroll
was at times buoyant, at other times
depressed. He was all that a lover
could be to his fiancee. Indeed he
seemed to have a morbid dread that he
should lose her.
The very morning Of the wedding
misfortune fell upon the lovers, the
family, indeed the whole village, since
everybody was interested in the affair.
When Mary's brother went to CAROLS
room to announce that all was ready,
he found him in q swoon. Beside him
on the floor was letter from wo-
man who claimed to be his wife.
When Carroll came to himself he adj
mitted that the woman had really been
married to him, but he had left her,
and he had evidence to indicate that
she was dead. She had heard Of his
approaching marriage and had written
him to say that she was living and so
l., ell, bn eh
legally.
That was the most melancholy day
the village had ever known. The girl
who had expected to become bride
bore up bravely, but it was plain that
she suffered inexpressible agony. Car
roll pleaded his cause with her, excus-
ing himself for not having told of his
former marital complication on the
ground that it was q thing Of the past
which was horror to him and which
he believed ended forever by death.
Mary did not blame him. She sat list
lessly while he talked Of it, and when
he had finished and he pressed his lips
to hers in an adieu she went to her
room and did not see him again. Car
roll went to New York to take steps to
secure divorce, though Mary told
him that she would not marry a di-
vorced man. Hoping to win her con-
sent in time, he commenced proceed
ings, which so far as the Colburn fam
lily heard had never ended. On every
of the wedding day there
came box of flowers. Carroll had
continued to write for two years, then
his letters had ceased. But the flowers
kept on coming.
Such was the statement given me by
Mary Colburn's brother. was pro-
foundly interested in it and determined
when reached New York to look
Carroll up and solve the mystery of a
divorce case that had lasted quarter
of century. On returning to the city
/ sought my client, reported my action
in the case upon which had been en-
ployed, then asked him If he knew of
the romance that hung over the Col
burn family.
yes" he said. changing his tone
from a business to a sympathetic one.
II ought to know something about 1t,
since I send flowers to Mary Colburn
once year."
"But CarrollT
Carroll has been dead for twenty
two years. He died just before he