The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1906-09-28
NEVER SPOKE
To the Father Who Ordered Her Low.
err to Leave Forever.
Hartford, Conn, Cor Chicago Tri-
bune.)

Dun6.J
The vow taken by the beautiful Car
oline Osborne 25 years ago, when
stern father forbade her marriage to
her betrothed, that she would never
look upon or speak to man again, has
been kept so religiously all these
years that the few remaining people
of the once prosperous village of Bak-
erville, in the Litchfield Hills, near
Waterbury, Conn, no longer regard
her with curiosity. They have come
to respect the sad consistency of the
recluse, whose beauty has slowly with
cred under the blighting influence of
her great disappointment.
They say in Baskerville that "Callie"
Osborne. as she is known, will go to
the grave without taking the slightest
notice of the existence of the father
whose opposition to her marriage
scared her soul and caused her to re-
nounce the world. He passed from her
life that fatal Christmas eve a quar-
ter of a century ago when, in terrible
anger, he ordered her sweetheart,
Walter Lumpkins, from his door and
told him never to seek his daughter
again.
Albert Osborne, the father. is now
76 years old, and if he has ever regret
ted the act he has not given sign of it
to his neighbors. The daughter lives
in the same house with her father, but
in separate apartments, and is sell
dom seen upon the street. When she
/ does appear she is always yelled and
/ hooded. She never looks at man.
Caroline Osborne, as a girl, was the
inspiration of all the social doings OF
the village. She was active in the
church and the foremost at the dances
and other amusements of the young
folk. Until she was 20 years old she
remained heart free. "They are after
my money. not me-" she often said of
her many suitors.
There was a change, however, when
Walter Lumpkins came along. He had
been used to city life and was unlike
the men of Caroline's acquaintance
He was a handsome fellow, about two
years older than she, and wore clothes
that looked and fitted better than
those of the young men of the village
Lumpkins first met Caroline Osborne
at a barn dance. The two seemed to
be unusually attracted. From that
time Caroline was no longer the friv
olous girl she had been. She became
a woman who loved with all the fer
vor of a passionate nature. In few
months time she and Lumpllins were
accepted lovers.
From the first. however. Caroline
father did not look with favor upoI
her sweetheart. Lumpkins, although
of exemplary habits and character ant
: of good promise did not come OF
wealthy family. He was, in fact, poor
The elder Osborne, who had married
: A second wife. was ambitious that hi
daughter should marry man whit
vould have wealth to match her own
Finally the young people were Sc
cretly engaged. The village people
: saw it was upon a Christmas Eve tina
Walter Lumpkins asked Osborne TO
the hand of his daughter. 1t is SAT-
that there was a scene, which ende'
in the father ordering the young maj
from the house. despite the pleading
of the daughter. Lumpkins went ava
and never came back Caroline
health had been undermined by tn
long and bitter opposition of her fatf
or and she became desperately Ill.,
The village people say that it wa
Immediately after Lumpkins had lei
the house that the overweight gil
uttered the VOW she has kept tor
years.
"Father. | will never speak to 20
or any other man again. Neither WI
7 look at or allow any man to ever sc
NV face" we're the words that Bal
eryiIIe people say Caroline spoke
her enraged father. A long Hines
followed, and when she grew we
tho roses had fed from her cheek
: never to return. For many years 20
z an did not leave the house. Lupt
. kins is now a wealthy merchant In
city not far from New York and has
wife and family.
. In later years Miss Osborne has a
. peared occasionally upon the stree
. and country roads hooded and vefle