A REMARKABLE COURTSHIP.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 6296, 21 January 1882, Page 7

A REMARKABLE COURTSHIP.

I Jlr. Charles Lanman, an old American sh'ouimlist, in a volume of pleasant personal relates a Scottish-American gromance that will be new to many, if not gall, of our readers. In one of the opening Kyears of IJie century a young man made hi* jglappearaiice m the quaint village of Stratford, a place founded in 1639 by a g'small colony of emigrants who had come ft chiefly from Stratford-on-Avon. The youth ■ spent a few rreeks at the village tavern, no lone knowing whence he came or what was hiß I business. Directly opposite the tavern stood |*the cottage and forge of a blackiimith named Folaom, -whose daughter was the village beauty. This young lady captivated the heart of .'the stranger, who told her ha was •from Scotland, that he was travelling incog., and that ho was the heir to a large fortune. In confidence he gare her his real name. She reciprocated his affection, and they were married. A few week 3 thereafter the'stranccer told hi 3 wife that he must visit New Orleans ; he did so, and the village gossips made the young wife- unhappy- by their disagreeable hints and jeers. In a few months the husbind returned, but before a week had elapsed -he received a large budget of letters, and told his wife that he must at once return to England, and that lie must go alone. Now the gossips had another glorious opportunity to make a confiding woman wretched. To I all but herself it waa a clear, case of desertion ; the wife became a mother, and for two years lived on in silence and in hope. At the «nd of thattime a letter was received by the Stratford beauty from her husband, directing her to go at once to New York with her child, taking nothing with her l ut the clothes she wore, and embark in a ship for her future home in England. -On her arrival in New : ork she found a ship splendidly furnished ; with every convenience and luxury, and two servants ready to obey every wish- that she might express.- Arrived iu England, the Stratford blacksmith's daughter became the distress of a superb mansion, and, as a baronet's -wife, was known as Lady Stirling of Olorafc. On the death of her husband, many 7«rs ago, the Stratford boy succeeded to the ■! p e a,) d wealth of hi 3 father, and in the Pe«rage and Baronetage" he is spoken of the issue of "Miss Folsom of Stratford, America." When the late Professor ; Pullman visited Britain, some years ago, he n*d the pleasure_pf meeting Lady Stirling at a dinner party, and was delighted to answer • the many questions she put to him about her ! birthplace in Connecticut.