The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1912-04-18
E. BRAYFORD TELLS
TALE OF ROMANCE


TALE OF ROMANCE
II Is an unusual thing for a man to
meet his sweetheart of youthful days.
after q period Of almost half century
has elapsed, renew the old story and
wed her. especially after both Of them
have lived lives Of double blessedness
for the intervening space OF time.
Such is the story Of the recent we'd
dug Of Enoeh Brayford. Mr.. Brayford
tells the story in his own words below !:
The writer, Enoch BrayfOrd, and his
present wife, Hannah Brayford, spent
thier Younger days together attending
the same church at Bl0Xwich, a suburb
Of Walxall. England. In the year 1866
our trotb Ia each other was pledged
and our c0urtship days we're happy,
and as we str0lled along the country
lanes and through the by ways in the
fields and rested sometimes on the old
country stiles. our eyes were blind to
all but love IN the year 1861 ! took
passage on the steamship MOravia and
landed in America, leaving my sweet
heart Hannah, behind. But loves
strings pulled hard and long. so | re-
turned to the old country and to my old
sweetheart, and our affections andslove
were renewed. But only a short time,
for unforeseen circumstances caused US
TO separate. Afer six months Hannah
got married to George, and |, of
course. to show that | was man, got
married to Elizabeth. and enjoyed the
companionship Of a devoted wife for "a
Years. In the year 1911, December 70,
made a visit to my native land,
England, after an absence Of "a years,
aud not knowing anything about my
old lover, Hannah for over "A years.
naturally enquired as to her welfare.
visited the little burg Of Bloxwich.
/ found what looked to me an old resi-
dent and | enquired of him, did he
know such a person? He replied that
he did. But George had died four
years before.
Then the old spark revived and my
footsteps were directed to the cottage
by the canal, so well known to me IN
the years gone by. AS | drew nearer
and nearer my heart beat faster and
my steps were quicker and my thoughts
were legion, but the greatest was,
"Shall | know my old love" The first
house entered enquired if this was
Mrs. d. A woman SAID yes, but
| said, 'You are not the person ! am
looking for. =" She said, "You are
looking for the old lady she lives next
door. On emerging from the house |
met the old lover of days and years
gone by. | knew her at first sight,
ard | grasped her hand and said, 80,
Hannah, don't you know me, " and she
SAID, 'I do not know you" | then
said, "1hls is Enoch. You should
have seen the change wrought IN her
face. Her hand trembled and her body
seemed as if touched by electricity,
but she mustered courage and asked
me in. On taking our seats the joy
was so great that we could not speak
for few moments, but you can better
imagine the greeting than | can de-
scribe it, and our affections for each
other soon ripened up into true love.
lhe question was put and the reply
came like of Ruth, to Naomi, ''Where
thou goest, will 60, and where thou
llNchi / VIII uNCs duh thJ bSopiC ohhli
be my people" The old story soon
spared and Hannah's sons anu daugh-
ters came home like Mother Carey s
chickens, to see their mothers old
lover. ! am told she often mentioned
my name to her children after the
death of her husband. Her children
are all married. They treated me as
though | was their father, and right
royalty did each family entertain US,
for the tables were loaded with all the
good things for the stomach.
We had been we'll known in and
around the little berg of Bloxwich for
the past AZ years and many congratuIa-
tions were shOwered upon us. The
bridegroom had been local preacher
in the Primitive church in England for
few years and spent 10 years in the
active ministry in the United Brethren
church in America. We were married,
January %, 1912, at Short Heath
church, and the wedding dinner was
served at her daughters, Mrs. Esau
Squier. at Short Heath, where right
royal reception was rendered US and
/ presents were many But the day OF
separation came, when we were gath
cred at the home of her son, Ellis. II
was a very affecting scene, especially
as we stepped into the train, as eacr
kissed us for perhaps the last good bye.
We sailed for the land of "The Home
of the Brave" February 10, 1912, on
! the Steamship Carmania, and our hon.
eymoon was spent on the ocean. Hav.
ing made the trip to England on the
Carmania, was well acquainted with
the chief steward and other officers,
and on their discovering that it was
our honeymoon trip, Trey served out
the wedding cake. At the concert
given on board the ship the bridegroom
was honored by being chairman of the
event. rousiug cheer was given foI
the bride and bridegroom as they sang
very heartily, For He's jolly Good
| Fellow.
Now we are at home at Hood River,
where the best apples and the most
luscious Strawberries in Uncle Sans
domain are grown. Hannah says
"Give to me America, for its people
are so kind and their hospitality can.
! not bp auuallpd - We pXpert tn reach