The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-05-05
Miss Rose Mcclure to Become
Bride Of John 3. Bundren, One
Year Her Senior.
WILL HAVE GREAT REUNION
All People Over Ninety Years
Old Invited to Be Guests at
the Tented City.
Special to The Timos-Dispatch.I

ST. LOUIS. May An tent, on
the exact spot In the mountainous
region OF Eastern Tennessee, near
Tatosvllle, where In their youth they
kept secret trysts, John y. Bundren,
t10l years old. and Miss Rose Mcclure
will wed on her Tooth birthday Aug
ust 49, 1907.
This Is a story of a love that lived
OF truth stranger than fiction.
The wedding will be the principal
feature OF. as well as a result of.
reunion of aged folks which Mr.. Bun
dren. who Is wealthy, planned before
learning that his sweetheart of youth
was still alive.
All persons not younger than ninety
years are invited to attend the re-
union at the brideEroom-e elects ex-
pense. He wants at least 100 norAp-
genarians present and volunteers to
take care of such little matters as
railroad fare in all cases where his
prospective guests make such request.
Twas back In the late eos of the
last century. He loved the girl. She
loved him. But her parents didn't.
They took her to England. He went
to California. seeking a cure for his
ove-sickness. He didn't find THAT.
but he did find gold. He acquired
property in the mountains, near Eure-
ka. Cal, and there settled down. Still
suffering with attachment for the girl
he loved In sunny Tennessee, he re-
turned recently and purchased his
birthplace, the farm that had been
the home OF his sweetheart, and some
surrounding land Then he set the
summer of 1907 for a reunion of mono
genarians and centenarians of the
United States and other countries.
The reunion Will last several weeks,
the guests being housed in a town Of
tents. which will be provided by their
host.
Reveals the Romance.
When in st. Louis a few days ago.
visiting his namesake and relative,
John B Rundren of 1890 East Avenue,
the contenaran bridegroom-elect
wrote to the Hon. Manifold Barber,
Eureka Springs. Ark. centenarian
who will participate in the reunion,
lengthy letter. In which he discloscs
the remarkable romance. In addition
to relating the plans for the happy
elimination of his love affair, Mr..
Bundreu expresses In this letter hope
that tho reunion will prove the folly
of both "Oslerism" and Roosevelt's
race suicide policy. Few men under
the Osley age-llmit of sixty have
| written as huently and logically az
Mr.. Bundren does at 101.
The passage disclosing the romance
| follows:
I'm reply to your question in re-
| gard to my wfe-'Not yet but soon
| as the song goes I have never been
married-and to that, many of my
| facetious friends attribute my present
| fine crop of hair on the top of my
| head--the girl of my boyish fancy
! and love having been taken back to
| England against both her and my
! wishes, by her parents. over three
| quarters of century ago-thcy hav-
| ing objected to our marriage. Not
being able to find her address-she
was lost sight Of until recently, al
| though love for her never waned. she
having been my IDEAL have elected
| to remain true to my ideal, and have
| never been able to love another wom-
an as do her; SO have remained sin
| gle.
Some SIX months ago, one of her
| home papers IN England published an
article taken from an American news
| paper In regard to our reunion, which
! she CHANGED to read. She Immediately
! wrote to me. believing that l was the
| Romeo of her grlhood; she, too. had
| never Misunderstanding, waiting,
| wishing like all ideal romanclsts do.
| My reply was Immediate, fully setting
forth the details of our reunion. with
| the proposal that our marriage take
| place on August &c. 1907--her Tooth
birthday--at our reunion. which day
| is to be the grand day of this great
| occasion.
"She assures me of her perfect
| health, and, of course. we are both
! more pleased and delighted than the
| most eloquent or poetic words may
| express at our prospective marriage,
| which for so many years has been
| cherished, though apparently hope
less dream, born and succored by an
! ideal and perfect love.
| ~ leave here for England for her
in the twilight of May or the rosy
| dawn of June, there being five others
from Europe, over ninety years old,
| who will accompany us on our re-
| turn to this country and attend our
/! reunion.
Plans for Reunion. =.
Continuing, the letter refers to the
reunion plans as follows:
Since my last communication to
you. six moro over ninety have pledg-
ed themselves to join us In our amuse-
| ment at the coming reunion; but I
| regret to inform YOU that | have also
recently been notified of the death of
three who had pledged themselves to
attend our reunion. However, l nave
| hopes that we shall have at least 100
| by that time who Will be able to at
| tend. We mpst-and this can best be
: ACCOMPLISHED by proper circulation or
| the news of the coming event and
invitation to this affair: and to this
| end, nearly everyone WHO Is W tdho
part are doing their best. repeat
4 the Invitation to all over ninety years
! old; entire expenses to be borne by
me; and you may have this letter
published in your home paper, If you
i like, which will probably be brought
to the attention of some others old
enough to get in on our coming fun,
.This is probably the last long let
ter which shall have time to Write
YOU. inasmuch as 1 shall be very busy
from now on. In arranging manu-
script, pictures etc. for the publication
of the booklet to be sent out to each
marty before tho reunion occurs, as
well as In further correspondence TO
obtain the desired 100 boys and girls
:, for this great occasion; hesldes,
i shall leave for England, as before
stated. and as you can Imagine, WIN
4 bio very busy with my prospective
bride after arrival at her home
Z "Perhaps you Will think that this
is rather a late day for me to got
mnrried--it Is; but I believe In ideal
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. what could better
finish our grand reunion and the good
purpose for which it Is designedE"
How to Prolong Life.
| NJo.sro J}nnenyn1t and