The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1910-08-11
GREA Owe
$40
of HIS TORY
By AI6erf Peysoh Terhune
SAM HOUSTON AND
ELIZA ALLEN IS
! icopgrlsAt, b tho 1uthor..,i

known. A hundred guesses have been
made in explanation OF its hidden In
cidents. But the full truth remains
forever in the graves of the man and
woman who enacted the unusual little
drama.
Sam Houston, pioneer and son Of
pioneer, had been intended for a
storekeeper. He had soul for ad-
venture and loathed mercantile life.
So as a boy he ran away to the In.
dams. was adopted by them, and
learned from the tribesmen all the,
wondrous art Of the. wilderness. When.
the war Of 1872 broke out Houston
was not yet 20, Yet he fought with
reckless courage that won him many
wounds, not little glory, and the
lifelong affection Of Andrew jackson,
under whom he served. The war over,
he studied law and rose rapidly in po-
litical rank, from district attorney
to congressman, and, within nine
years, to the governorship Of Tennes-
see,
A splendid future seemed to stretch
before him. He was the idol Of the
southwest. He was the friend Of
President Jacksonville never forgot
I. a friend. He was
WI " young; handsome,
Dess'ny brilliant. The
presidency itself seemed almost with.
in HIS reach. The world was at his
feet ready to do his bidding. Not
a public character in America had
brighter prospects than Sam Houston.
He was spoken Of as a Man OF Des.
tiny. Then came the love affair that
changed his whole life.
While he was governor OF Tennessee
Houston met Miss Eliza Allen. the
beautiful daughter of a rich Nashville
man. Miss Allen was local social
queen. and was the acknowledged
belle of that part OF Tennessee, Hous-
ton simple. direct, honest. was quite
captivated by the girls dazzling charm
and became her devoted adorer. She
had many suitors more polished and
better versed in the ways Of the world
than was the sturdy young statesman.
soldier who governed the state. Yet,
to the surprise oftmore than one OF
her friends, she listened to Houston's
ardent wooing and soon became en-.
gagged to him n
Whether, Miss Allen really loved
Houston, or merely saw how splendid
q future seemed to lie before him, is
not known, At any rate she married
him, amid such imposing ceremonies
as the little frontier city could mus
ter. With so lovely and ambitious a
wife, people predicted that. Houston's
star would rise to unequaled height,
Gayety ruled supreme In the govern
or's house and the young executive
was apparently the happiest man in
Tennessee.
Then something, happened. No one
knows what But shortly after the
wedding the whole state was scandal.
lied to learn that bride and groom had
separated. Not as the result OF a
petty lovers quarrel that could be
readily patched up-but that they had
parted forever. Neither Houston nor
his wife would tell what had caused
the sudden break in their supposedly
happy relationship, But, while the
bride returned to her fathers house.
Houston resigned his goyernorshIp,
gave up his hard won honors and gold.
en- prospects, and left Tennessee. His
1
friends argued, pleaded and stormed
in vain. He was set on throwing away
his future and would not tell even his
most intimate friends why he did so.
The secret of Houston's separation
from his wife remained mystery,
and remains so to this day. That
the cause was terribly serious may be
e..o Judged by the fact
eIo'nes ." that he not only
career, but turned his. back on civiliza.
ton as we'll Journeying to Arkansas,
he Joined the Cherokee Indians. don,
ming paint and blanket. living among
the savages for years as member OF
their tribe and refusing to so back
to his own people or to regard himself
as anything but an indiana
Yet to Houston's parting from his
wife the United States owes the an.
neSation of Texas. For in time Hous.
ton left the Indians and plunged into
the warfare the American settlers
were waging to wrest Texas from
Mexico. He freed Texas and made a
republic, being chosen as Its first
president. Then he arranged annexa.
tion OF the new republic to the United
States. and was elected governor OF
the state Of Texas. Meantime he had
married again, and his second welded
life Is said to have been very. happy,
He fought bitterly against the seces.
sion Of his state when the civil war
began. and, for his fierce loyalty to the
union was deposed from the governor.
ship.
| When the secession OF Texas was
announced, and his own son entered
the confederate army. Houston said to
his wife: MY heart Is broken!" Two
years late: he died; his last gasping
| yord boing tha mama NJ tba at.ata,,aJ