A ROMANTIC STORY.

Evening Star, Issue 15140, 24 March 1913, Page 5

A ROMANTIC STORY.

There died recently in the city of New York Mrs Charles Bell, a former Irish peasant girl, whoso good fortune in the great American metropolis (says the correspondent of the 'Glasgow Times') throws many of the stories "from the pen of the fiction writer into the shade. Mrs Bell, whose maiden name was Sarah Kelly, and who'at her death was practically 100 years of age, was born in the townlaiid of Carnan, in the parish of Ardboe, County Tyrone. She earned sufficient money to pay her passage to the United States at the beginning of the Irish emigration fever. After a long and perilous voyage, for those were the days of the coffin'ships, she arrived in New York, and entered domestic service. It was her good fortune to gain employment in the house of a family named Bell, owning a large amount of property 111 the heart of the great city. After years of faithful service she was raised to the position of nurse to Mrs Bell, then a widow with an only son. She nursed the old lady with the most tender devotion, and Mrs Bell became so attached to her that shortly before her death she arranged a marriage tetween her son and the young Irish immigrant. As the wife of one of New York's wealthiest citizens, she never forgot the old home. Her nephew, Rev. H. J. Kelly, became the parish priest of Castle Gardens, and made a trip to Europe in 1885. He died some years later. .Early in 1905 Dr Conlton, Roman Catholic Bishop of New York, on a trip to Europe, visited her nephew,' Mr Bernard Kelly O'Hagan, of Carnan, carrying with him a message and handsome present from his aunt. At the death of her husband she wae left a life interest in the estates, the most valuable being the rent of £15,000 per annum from the property ot the American millionaire, the late A. T Stewart. For years before her death she was afllicted with blindness. The only legatee living in Ireland is Mr B. K O Hagan. The following participate in the huge windfall totalling £4o.ooo:—Mr Bernard K. O'Hagan, Carnan Cottage, Stewartstown, £10.000; Mr John A. Quinp, New lork, £10,000; Mr S. Carroll, New lork. £10,000; Most Rev. Dr Coulton, -Koman Catholic Bishop of New York £500; Mrs O'Rourke, New York, £IOO-' the Cavanagh family, New York, £7OO \ Miss Sarah Qumn and Miss Kate Kellv servants to Mrs Bell, £IOO each. Several smaller sums are left to other relations