The Washington herald., 1916-05-04
YOUR WEDDING DAY
THE FAMOUS MEN AND WOMEN
WHO HAVE SHARED 1T.
May William Kicking Prescott,
Daniel Appleton, Margaret
0iphant.
BY MARY MARSHALL.


Contrary to the assertion of La
Bruyere, who says that the most for
tunate husband finds reason to regret
his condition at least once in twenty
four hours. may truly say that have
found NO such day in the quarter of
a century that Providence has spared
US to each other"
1t was in these words that William
Hickling Prescott, the great historian,
commented on his marriage on his
twenty-hfth wedding anniversary.
He was married on his twenty
fourth birthday to Susan Amory, and
their life together stands out as one
of delightful companionship and per-
feet happiness. This was on May 4,
1920
Prescott started out in life with the
ambition to be a lawyer. But he was
early afflicted with severe rheumatism
and an affection of the sight which
rendered one eye useles and the other
good only to see his way around. The
young man was almost respondent
when he met and became engaged to
Miss Amory. But it is said that he
forgot his suffering, forgot his disap-
pointed hopes, in his great happiness.
Also, he forgot his bachelor compan-
ions Prescott used to make atrocious
puns, and when some OF these same
bachelor friends twitted him with neg
lecting them after his engagement. he
responded with a line from Virgil
the last word of which was a pun on
his fiancee's name: "Omnia vincit amor
ct nos cedamos Amori"
About a year after his marriage
Prescott decided to store his mind with
as much as possible of the worlds lit
| erature. He employed secretaries to
read to him and his beloved wife also
| served as eyes for the afflicted man.
A year or so after undertaking this
work of acquiring knowledge, Prescott
decided to become historian, and
through many years of suffering and
| semi blindness he kept to his purpose.
without his wife's cheerful compan-
lonship and constant attention this
purpose might have been possible, but
Prescott could not have been the
| happy, buoyant sufferer that he was.
Even when he was away from her,
Prescott found her an inspiration. At
the height of his career. when he was
the lion of literary London, he wrote
home to her: Dear Susan, 1 never see
anything beautiful in nature or art,
| or heart-stirring music in churches
| the only place where music does stir
my heart-without thinking of you and
" lSHluB you COulu D6 ny my sue IL
| only for a moment"
This visit to London was one OF
! their few separations. Usually they
spent their time together. Prescott
would rise early and ride horseback,
or walk before breakfast. After that
simple meal his wife would read the
news or a new novel to him until ten.
Then he would work with a secretary
until n three o'clock dinner, and for
| H,rrx H. I,g- O.. l.,
| together. After that he would work
until evening, and evenings the two
would again spend with each other.
| Mrs. Prescott added to beauty and per-
sOnal charm strong tact and II is said
! that she used to frown on her hus-
bands tactless remarks. He would OBJ
serve her frown and invariably ask her
| what the trouble was. He was always
a good deal OF an overgrown boy, and
used often to enjoy a game of Puss-
| in-a-Corner or Blindman's Buff with
his wife, his children and any dis
tinguished or undistinzuished guests
he might happen to have.
Prescott died in 1858 and his first
words after recovering consciousness
| from the shock that ultimately caused
his death were: MY poor wife! am
so sorry for you that this has come
upon you so soon"
Margaret Oliphant. English novelist
born in 1928. married her cousin, Fran
els Wilson Oliphant, on May 4, 1882,
when she was twenty-four. He died
after a happy marriage of only seven
years, leaving her. as she said, with
three children, "a thousand pounds Of
debt. two hundred pounds OF insurance
money some furniture warehoused and
my faculties. such as they are"
| Daniel Appleton. founder of the IA
nous publishing house OF Appleton,
married on May 4, 1913, when he was
thirty-eight years old. His wife was
Hannah Adams. All of their five sons
entered and helped to build up the
publishing business which their father
| established.
| Copyright, I9ls.l