Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1917-08-03
THE. TOWN OF
HENRIETTA / 1: :
BY F. A: Mitchell

| Lew WcehS III u lOWu IudC udS SLOOu
| still. In Henrietta-named for the
| Queen Of Charles 1. of England-the
same social forms are in vogue that
were current in 1860. And even then
there was a semblance of the formality
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-sos, 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 family Of
Stackpoles, who were tabooed because
the founder Of the family in America
had been fugitive regicide.
One morning young couple arrived
in Henrietta, evidently bride and
groom, and within an hour after their
| arrival had rented one Of the houses
that had been long vacant owing to
the shrinkage oi'the population. The
groom, nineteen years old, was dig
nifed 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 person, outspokel1 in
friendliness, a shub is like Jack Frost
touching the petal Of flower. At
first the little woman did not under
stand it, but when she had been frozen
by several Henrietta ladies she began
to wilt-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 off the head Of its sovereign, had
always lived outside the charmed cir
Gle Of Henrietta society. Consequent
~ they could sympathize with one
whose refinement entitled her to be in
it, but who was not permitted to take
her place there. At any rate, they
called on the bride and invited her to
tea. Then she fell ill, and they car
rfed 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 for
himself, he remained where he was
except when in attendance upon his
wife. OF course everything the couple
did was known and discussed. When
it was learned that the groom had de-
clined for himself the Stackpole in
vitatiOn the most aristocratic lady in
Henrietta remarked, II believe that
young man has royal blood in his
veins"
One day letter came for the bride
and groom, and as soon after the young
wife was able to travel the birds flew
away. Many speculations had been
rife as to where they had come from,
and as soon as it was known that they
had gone inquiries were made at the
postof1ce by one Of the social mag
mates as to the postmark. When told
that it was the seat Of the federal
government tremor passed over the
town.
For some time after the war Wash
1ngton was tabooed by Henrietta as
unworthy Of notice. But when the
first families Of the south began to
send their prominent sons to congress.
the cabinet, the supreme court and
other important positions Henrietta be-
gan to hunger for Washington. What
If that young couple were the children
of-perhaps congressman? But the
announcement that the letter was
from the capital was ripple beside
tidal wave when one of the Stackpole
family was known to have received an
engraved card stating that the Secre-
tary of State and Mrs. - would be
pleased to see certain members of the
Stackpole family at their residence in
- circle on a specified evening
There had been no such upheaval in
Henrietta since the beheading Of
Charles l., when the town was a set
Element in the primaeval forest. as
took place at this invitation. Nor was
it lessened at Mrs. Stackpole seniors
declaring that the groom who had late
~ been with them was the son Of a
senator and the bride the daughter Of
a cabinet officer. The youngsters had
stolen away-almost from the nursery
Ito run away and be married.
The Stackpoles' attendance at a
function at the house of the secretary
of state wiped away the stain of regi.
cidal blood. All Henrietta besieged