Year: 1869

From the Galena (Ill.l Gazette, August 49,


The following singular story was re-
lated to us last evening by an old man
whom we accidentally met at the depot.
We did not learn his name. He was a
man of more than ordinary intelligence,
however, and at least sixty years OF age,
tall and erect; his hair, which was very
slightly tinged with grey, was long and
straight. His eyes were dark and pierre
ing. His general demeanor betokened a
man of wealth and refinement. He ac-
costed us in a gentlemanly manner, and
after making numerous inquiries in re-
gard to the dead man, who was found on
the island in our river, the other day,
proceeded to explain the reasons for ask
ing the question. We give the story for
what it is worth. 1t certainly reads like
q romance.


He said j: ! resided in New Orleans
about twenty FIVE years ago. i married
the daughter of Southern planter She
had been educated in the North. After
her education had been completed she re-
turned to her fathers plantation. ! held
a mortgage on his property, and was at
that time attempting to negotiate settle
ment, but / found that he had become SO
deeply involved in debt that in order to
collect the amout due me on the mortgage
| should be compelled to sell the entire
property, and thus leave her father a beg
gar. had decided that such q course
would be the only alternative, when, one
afternoon, as l was engaged in taking an
inventory of The furniture, servant pre-
sented me with message from the young
lady, who requested an interview in the
parlor. [ repaired immediately to the
presence of the young lady, whom |
found seated behind the curtain in bay
window. She opened the conversation
Immediately, by stating that she had sent
for me for the purpose of effecting some
kind ola settlement by which her fathers
property might be saved.


My countenance perhaps betrayed the
surprise that experienced in being ad-
dressed in sucha business-like manner by
such mere girl, for she hastened to add
that although it might seem strange to
me she had thought of plan by which
satisfactory settlement might be effect
ed. l seated myself aud asked her to ex-
plain. She looked me straight in the
face and asked if thought she was
beautiful. I answered very truthfully
when said that 1 thought she was the
handsomcst woman that had ever met
:" Very good" said she, How would
you ike to have me for wife ?" The
singularity of the question and the sud-
denness with which it was put made me
start as though l had been shot. She
noticed my tremor, and requested me to
retain my composure, adding that we we're
:. talking business" and such display of
nervousness might answer very well in a
woman, but it was decidedly unbecoming
in man. Yankee like, in order to evadc
answering her, / asked her what such a
question had to do with the settlement of
her fathers debts. She said that it had
everything, to do with it, and begged me
to give her an immediate answer. I do
not know what influenced me to answer
her as I did. Perhaps it was my innate
gallantry. I told her that l should con-
slider myself blessed beyond all earthly
bliss :. That settles the question, she
said. "We will be married this after
noon.


She rang the bell and instructed the
servant to ride over to the minister's and
request him to come at two o'clock. "Do
not disappoint ME, SAID she to me as she
left the room. q We will be married as
soon as the minister arrives" l thought
1 must be dreaming, but no, it was all
too real. What was I to do! was at
that time about forty years of age.
never had been married, and never
thought seriously of such thing. I
tried to reason with myselfin regard to the
matter. The more !. thought upon the
subject, the further l was from arriving
at satisfactory conclusion. | finally
concluded to let the matter take its own
course, and I" God knows it has been a
bitter course to me" said the old man,
and we saw tear trickling down his
wrinkled cheek. AT two o'clock, resumed
the old man, the minister called and we
were married. She made the response in
a cool and collected manner, but immedi-
ately after the ceremony she tainted.
She soon recovered, however, and almost
the first words she uttered we're: :. Re-
lease the mortgage on my fathers prop
erty." Her eyes flashed like a crazy
woman's. They seemed to magnetize
me. / obcyed her almost mechanically


About ten days after our marriage we
left for Boston, where We resided but a
few months, and went thence to New


York and Paris. We Travelled all over
Europe, spending five years in visiting
the country. She was never at rest, but
would start up suddenly after we had be


come comfortably settled in some pleasan,
place, and say, Take me away from
here" I obeyed her as child would
We wandered thus from place to place
She was never happy. The many won


ders of the Old World excited in her mo-


the slightest interest. She was pale anG
listless, and seemed to be waiting impa


tiently for the end. / brought her bacl
to America. We visited nearly ever,
city in the United States. Ten year
ago We started to visit Galena. We cam,


up from St. Louis on one of your rive


boats. During the passage discovered


a man in the stateroom rlfing my trunk


beckoned to the captain, who seized tn


only weapon at hand, carving knife, ant


bade me guard tho outside door. W.
| captured the man.