Daily Kennebec journal., 1906-09-03
TALE0F ROMANCE,
Boston Society Girl Leaves
for the Philippines
To Wed Lover in the United
States Government Service.
Acquaintance Formed in Maine Culmirates in
Love and 10000 Mile Voyage.

Boston, Sept. ITO complete a ro-
nance b"%un in eGrly childhood days,
pretty Florence Merrill Of the AIassa-
chGsctts Home opathic hospital corps.
in obedience to loves call from 500
miles across the Pacific, has left her
| wide circle of Boston society friends
to join her lover. Charles Farnhain. Il
Beverly boy, repUted to be worth IL
| million, WHO il superintendent; of the
United states Philippine construction
department is Manila
Irizing the playmate Of her child
| hood more highly than all honors and
comforts her Boston friends could Offer
her, Miss Merrill is willing to endure
the climate and lack Of friends and So
ciety acquaintances in distant Manila,
| provided she can remain with the
choice OF her love.
| The wedding viii take place in Ma
| Mia soon after her arrival, and a hand
some, palatial residence, now nearly
completed, will be christened by the
nuptials.
The romance tina oncGsioncd the
Westward journey was begun in Old
Town. Ne, or the banks of the PcHob-
| scot, over a dozen years ago. Miss
| Merrill, with her girl companions, were
na yinS beside its banks when Ar
Farnham spent his summer vacatio2
at Il cottage near by. Over childhOod's s
games their acquaintance was CTentd.
Other summers the youth spent at
Old Town and sustlined his accuaini-
ance with Miss Merrill. Soon acQuaint-
anCe was replaced hy love, and any
pretext served for young Mr.. Farnham
to leave his Eeverly home for a while
TO see his Old Town sweetheart.
Five years ago they separated, he
going to China. where Il position as
electrical engineer was offered him,
and she to the Massachusetts Home
op:thic training school. Correspond
eEce replaced the trips they usei to
take along the PcnoDScot on summer
afternoons.
Miss Merrill soon gained rank in BnS-
tons exclusive society. Her parents be-
ing wealth and her accomplishments
many. she was entertained extensively
throughout the Back Bay and BrOoklne
At her studies at the training schoo
she was proficient and graduated in 100
: among the leaders in her class. Since
] then she has been connected with tho
hospital corps. acting as nurse when her
social engagements and occasional visits
to hcr down East home did not interfere
= Soon after her EraiIation from tht
training school her matrimonial aspira.
tions were mentioned among her friends
: She told them that she wanted to leave
| them and join Mr.. Farnham in the Philip
pines but their cntrcatics to her to stay
for a while prevailed.
, Cupid was pointing his arrow at tn
$ society lady He cssaYcd to shoot an,
was at first unsuccessful. AS time wen
on the how tight"ncd, ana scarcely {
: week ago the arrow flew and pierced Ecl
: heart.
1t was then that she decided that she
must leave her friends. leave all. If ne"t
= be. for the man she loved 1900 miles
away.
Although sorry to hear of her INTENDED
departure. her friends congratulated hci
: ard wished her all happiness with hel
4 millionaire husband soon-to-hc. BesieSet
with letters expressing good wishes anc
showercd with presents from society
n bellies, she took her departure and besar
her long journey across land and sea.
At Manila all that wealth could pro.
vide awaits the New England belle. a
mansion, fitted M in fashionable colona
Q stayle fashioned after Magnolia summer
: residences, will witness the tying of the
knot by u missionary. There the twf
will live. their wants supplied by hos'
of native servants.
@ There She will have an opportunity 70
r b, :; member of the Manila l.te. witt
0 wives Of other leading government Off
| cials as her companions. Her fr."nd'
fear, however. that She will not i" rs sat
: isficd as when in Boston. owing to the
| complete change Of environments
Among the federal officials It the
Philippines. Farnham is rated Nor.
highly. He is in charge of over 2o0 OK
pcrlcnccd English and American con
tractors and over 1r5 native wOrkmcn.
= The nightly task before him is to re
model Manila almost c1mrl"t"lq. 50 thl'
: it will he according to American ideas
and be fit for habtation for people from
the United States.
To accomplish this will take yHarS, but
the ball is being started "a-rn!iin@ az
mirably by the young American. Hc w"f
fame among Washington ofGciaiS iirSt hi
: his clever work in China ana Japan
which gave him the env.ablc J"b thAt II:
at present holds.
! His father, W. W. Farnham OF HevoFlE
is an extensive property owner. lto c'fHe.
of a distinguished family that traces :
long American lineage.
Miss Merrill is we'll known in O!G IoWr
and She. too can claim family. on" o
tho first to settle in the Pine Tree state