The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-08-28
THE TOWN OF
HENRIETTA
By F. A Mitchell

rev weeks In town that mas stood
still In Henrietta-named for the
Queen OF Charles L Of Hngiand-the
same social forms are In vogue that
were current in 1880. And even then
there was semblance Of the Formally
that existed in Baltimore when Miss
Patterson married a brother Of the
great Napoleon. In introducing a
friend to another the introducer would /
say, II have the honor of presenting |
my friend Miss So-and-so of the old |
Virginia family Of So-and-so's, who |
were prominent In the colony during |
the reign of Charles H." Indeed, there |
was no one In the place whose ances- !
tors were not loyal subjects of one of /,
the Stuart kings except a family of
Stackpoles, who were tabooed because
the founder of the family In America
had been a fugitive regicide.
One morning young couple arrived
in Henrietta. evidently a bride and
groom, and within an hour after their
arrival had rented one of the houses
that had been long vacant owing to
the shrinlSRge of'the population. The
groom, nineteen years old, was dig
nided young fellow for his age, the
bride rosebud three years his junior.
He said very little, she great deal.
: She was a regular chatterbox. She
appeared to consider every one on
earth her bosom friend. She would
speak to any one on the slightest prov
ocation and not trouble the person ad-
dressed to do any of the talking. So
smiling. so unaffected, indeed, SO
charming was she that It is difficult to
understand how, even in Henrietta.
she could have been snubbed. But
she was.
To such a person, outspoken In
friendliness. q snub Is like Jack Frost
touching the petal of a flower. At
first the little woman did not under
stand 1t, but when she had been frozen
by several Henrietta ladies she began
to wift-that Is, when she came In
contact with any more of them she
curled up like the sensitive plant.
Now, the Stackpole family, whose
ancestor had been instrumental in cut
ting or the head of its sovereign, had
always lived outside the charmed cir
Gle Of Henrietta society. Consequent
ly they could sympathize with one
whose refinement entitled her to be In
1t, but who was not permitted to take
her place there. At any rate, they
called on the bride and invited her to
| be- AnII nd
ried dainty things to her. They even
insisted on taking her and her hus
: band to their home, where they could
make them more comfortable.
The little bride gladly accepted the
invitation, and her husband was
: pleased to have her do SO, especially
since he dreaded to have her remain
In such dilapidated quarters. AS FOL
himself, he remained where he was
except when in attendance upon hi:
wife. OF course everything the couple
did was known and discussed. WheI
1t was learned that the groom had de
=; clined for himself the Stackpole In
: vitation the most aristocratic lady II
Henrietta remarked, II believe tina
young man has royal blood In hi
: VEINS
One day a letter came for the Bird,
and groom, and as soon after the youni
wife was able to travel the birds flew
: away. Many speculations had beer
I rife as to where they had come from
and as soon as 1t was known that the.
had gone inquiries were made at tn
y postoff1ce by one of the social mag
mates as to the postmark. When toll
q that It was the seat Of the fedora
!. government a tremor passed over tn
town.
0 For some time after the war Wash
ington was tabsoed by Henrietta a
u unworthy of notice. But when tn
first families OF the south began t
+ send their prominent sons to congress
. the cabinet. the supreme court an
other important positions Henrietta be
. gan to hunger for Washington. Wha
l. II that young couple were the childre
70 of-perhaps a congressman? But tn
IS announcement th6t the letter wa
+ from the capital was a ripple beside
y tidal wave when one Of the Stackpol
a family was known to have received o
&c engraved card stating that the Secrc
s. tary Of State and Mrs. - would b
pleased to see certain members Of tn
4 Stackpole family at their residence !
Z circle on a specified evening
There had been no such upheaval 1
y Henrietta since the beheadtng
Charles l., when the town was a se
e, Element in the primaeval forest. q
D. took place at this invitation. Nor wa
le II lessened at Mrs Stackpole senior
IS declaring that the groom who had lat
D. " been with them was the son OF
le senator and the bride the daughter
ID a cabinet officer. The youngsters ha
i'd stolen away-almost from the nurser
lie to run away and be married.
le The Stackpoles' attendance at
III function at the house Of the secretar
lg Of state wiped away the stain OF reg
-l,NA hncNn0l