PARNELL'S FIRST LOVE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10417, 22 March 1912, Page 2

PARNELL'S FIRST LOVE.

AX AMERICAN HEIRESS.

HOW THE IRISHMAN WAS " JILTED."

An early but unsuccessful courtship by Charles Stewart I'arnell —a disappointment lie never got over is tnc subject of an article written by Ins brother, John H. Parnell, for " T.P.'s Magazine." It began in 1870, before Parnell attained to a place of prominence in Imperial politics. Charles Parnell, we are told, used to visit his uncle, Charles Stewart— Commodore Stewart, or old Ironsides, as he was popularly called—who lived in Paris. "During ono of those visits his uncle introduced him to a beautiful, fair-haired American heiress of the very best society in Paris. " Cliarlev being such a chum of his uncle's, and his uncle being a rich old bachelor—although not old enough to bo vet discarded by the fair sex—had the'great opportunity of being thrown amongst the very best of Parisian and American society in Paris, and amongst tho richest and prettiest women of the day. Tho uncle was always on the look-out for a beautiful heiress; Charley was also ready to fall in with hi ls uncle's .scheme, as he often told me he would like to marry well, in order to help to raise up his family to their former prestige in the world, which they had lost by unforsecn circumstances. "But he also said always that he would have to love. At a French and American dinner party his uncle introduced him to tho very pretty blonde American. They eventually became, engaged to bo married. She was his first real love—whicli was tho more remarkable, as he generally was a very cold man towards women, especially to any ho suspected of running after him. They were seen together always; became inseparable in French and American society. They wero often seen Mending evenings walking about tho Champs Elysees, in the Bois, at the cafes chnntants, in the circus—in fact, at ( all tho theatres and everywhere; they wero considered engaged by everyone, and were congratulated everywhere. "In the autumn of 1870 Miss W.'s family went to spend some time in Rome. Charley determined to follow her to Rome, as be had now fully made up his mind to niarrv her. But before leaving for Rouio lie was obliged first to return to Ireland. Perhaps this trip and others to Ireland durin "their engagement had something to do with future events.

" Miss W . was greatlv delighted when he turned up, but ho was not quite suro of the delight of her parents. Doth agreed they would have a jolly good time in Rome. They went about arm-in-arm, visiting all the places of interest, until Charley's unclo wroto to him not to stay too long in Rome, as the Roman fever might attack him. Charley was always very nervous and frightened of catching diseases, and ho made a sudden departure. Returning for tho winter to Ireland distressed him very much. Miss W mad» him promise to como back to Paris when thoy returned.

" Tn the spring of 1871 he went back to Paris. He stayed with his uncle at his flat, where both of them had the usual gay time, going to dinners, balls and parties; and ho took his sweetheart about everywhere, and both wero very, very happy. After spending nil the spring in Paris, he returned to Ireland. Tie went to prepare Avondale for his coming marriage with Miss W., as ho had a great deal to do to tho house before he brought his bride there. Some time after his return to Avondale ho received a letter from Miss W., tolling him that she and her mother wero going to America immediately, to their place at Newport, Rhode Island; but she never mentioned anything in tho lettor about wanting to see nim or about their engagement. This treatment caused Charley profound grief; it almost broke his heart. Nevertheless, ho would not give her up so quickly as that. Ho immediately went to Paris to see his uncle. Miss had already gone to America; and next he set off to Newport, Rhode Island, in October, 1871. Charley had good letters of introduction to his uncle's frierds in America, both to business and society peoplo, aa ho was going to invest money in American securities on his uncle's advice. Miss W. received him very affectionately, Charley evidently thinking she had the same feeling towards him as she had in Paris. Ho remained somo time, going about visiting tho Newport peoplo to whom his unclo had given him introductions. This went on for a month _ or so, Charley travelling between New York and Newport, on business in New York, and with his love in Newport. " One day Miss W. suddenly told him she was not going; to marry him, making as excuse ho was only an Irish gentleman without sufficient means to marry, with no name in public, and that she could not marry anyone without a great public name. " This dumbfounded Charley, who could not tell for certain, except for thoso foolish objections, why sho had cast him off. After trying his best to persuade her to marry him—beseeching her, and recalling all tho happy scenes of tho courtship and engagement, and sho still refusing—he gavo up, the heartbreaking job. " After this, he wired to mo at Alabama that he was coming to visit me. After dinner I took him off for a walk over my plantation. During our walk Charley said, 'John, I want you to come home with mo; you have been here enough for a time.' He said I was throwing myself away. I said I would go homo on a visit, only I was deeply engaged in a now enterprise—-peach-growing for market—and that I ox pec ted a crop the next year. All this time whilst we were walking and talking ho seemed to be very cross and dejected--not in his usual characteristic jolly and bright spirits. " I did not understand tho reason, although I knew about his lovo match. My manager's wife, Mi's Morna, whose husband I brought from Avondalo to look after my place, used to remark how downcast ho was, whenever no one was noar to notice him. They would see him leaning over tho fire if I ivere not there in a most sad way, with his hands over his face, sighing bitterly; but when I would come in he used to rouse up and smile. I asked him what was tho matter, and ho told me the talo of how Miss W. jilted him in Newport, after coming over from Ireland expressly to marry her and take her home to Avondalo.

"Ho said, 'John, I have a good mind to go bank again to Newport af'tor her; si 10 might change Jior mind. I was .and am, very fond of her.' " T said, 1 Do just as you think.'

" However, tho next day he went to different places in tho buggy. I took him to boo our great Alabama cotton factories, also tho grist mills. These things took nwav his sad look for a time, but it would come -back. After a couple of weeks we took a trip to seo tho new and vast coal and iron fields at Birmingham, Alabama. These fields interested him a great deal, as ho had money invested in tho Virginia coalfields; but all this timo ho used to go oif in tho blues about his lost love. Then he went to New Orleans to see some of his uncle's friends. Ho wired to mo to meet him, and 1 met him at Montgomery, Alabama. On our way to Birmingham wo both nearly got killed in a railway smash-up. " After we got well, both Charley and I sot off homo for Ireland. We left New York on January 1, 1872. Charley, all this time, had not heard a word from, his sweetheart, and never saw hor again. He never got over tho great blow. His heart grew dead; he did not seem to care for any woman afterwards.

" After Charley had become famous, in 1880, and his great name had gono abroad. Thcodosia (now Mrs Paget), Charley's and my sister, was in Newport, Rhode Island, on a summer holiday. Wo heard that Charley's former sweetheart, Miss W., was now married to a rich American, was living with

her husband nt Newport, in a villa out-J side tbo town. Theodosia had met her in Paris with Charloy. Ono day Theodosia. said to mo, ' Como and lot 11s call on Charley's former .sweetheart, who cruelly jilted him.' I said, 'Well, wo will'; n.nd off wo went. Mrs W. was in. and wo wero shown into the drawing-room. She came in. very prettily dressed, very prett-v in looks. She was very glad to soo Theodosia. Slip was very vivacious, and talked a great deal. Suddenly she said: 1 How is your great brother Chitrlev? "What a great namo ho has got.' She gave a sigh, ami nearly began crying, and said: 'Oh, why did T not niarrv dear Charley ?l_how happy we would have been !' '"To show how little ho eared for anyone after. Cliarlev and I and mother and sisters wore in Paris in 1873. when one of the daughters of :i rich American. Miss P.. proposed to Charley, and ho actually left Paris to escape her. Ho told mo this himself at Avondale."