Show II 1 1 1 11 P tIOW 1 0 I 1 i J i t A 0 STEDMAN STED IvIAN TO LAURA A 0 t most interesting interesting- love JoC story Is that tb t I N ot of Ed Edmund un Clary Clarence S Stedman the noted y Af American Si poet and critic and Miss Mi r Laura g 7 When Mr Stedman came from collego college he began writing for tor g j r tho Norwich Tribune In the tho c x J office o of th the pa paper er was a a. young Oung man roan i Horace whose e sister a slen slew der petite t daintily rounded young girl with black hair largo large hazel eyes and an I unusually flab fine complexion used to trip mo modestly In and out to brother speak puk with her Tho The h. h attractive e aw sweet s t expression and the growing beauty of pf Mist Misa i. i caught the alert eye eYEr of ot the chief editor edItor- i K as also that of ot his hie partner Charles B B. Platt the two having purchased I 7 the p pa pa ap a- a l i 1 per on November ember 17 18 When the partners discovered that the they y Were both In love lo with the churnIng charming r Laura Wooden the they sent ent her chat a It oin g t letter Jatter reque requesting that she sha make b a n C choice e i between t them hem each Inclosing an nn n Indi vidual I letter and tho the one she sho would H re re- re turn lurn was WaG to understand such action as all n i rejection I l This Thia was a rather lather delicate te situation fo for tor r I g the young youn lad lady a DIS as well veil as the tho partners I This la Is the letter Miss 1 i en Woody as ah she c was called by her admirers did not re turn I d Dear Pear uro t Irmo I t eanno canno refrain 0 m once calling you dear when I think that l It may be tho the last and only L time lire nie 1 I shall snail be allowed to todo do so You have read the Joint letter ter of ocr Mr 11 Platt and myself It I remains for mo me to say a word to you jou And If It In that word I bad had the tho I to throw the most tender affection power and love love Jove love that has grown rown upon me mc eV every da day since m my life has hll been cheered ed by ry your presence If It I could breathe Into that word a willingness to a lifetime to your happiness and to cling to you and I shelter you through all jO Joy and sorrow should do no more than reveal re to you OU the tIle earne earnest t passion which Is beating my h heart art at And yet I fear that I have but little know hope nopo You can clin hardly know m me you but little of my past life lite or or my future prospects And Mr Platt tt loves loves YOU too Ha Hn Is truly a a. flue man and andl will alwa always be bo kind and tender lander to you OU I feel teel his worth and tear rear that my ray chance e Is small for tor your our fax favor or or But dear Laura It if f you OU can love me for tor myself and for m my love lovo for you ou I offer latter you OU my whole hole heart and hand And if It fervent attachment and a sincere pride In the possession 5 lon of ot You jou can make you happ happy I pledge c them then i to you jou Oll You know snow that I am ambitious I need some dear far one for to whom to strive and at whose feet teet I can lay all the laurels that Out I may wit wInI winI win I almost dread to send this fearing that It may be returned I want to ha have o o t i v mo lo longer ger a and d better but It it is 1 as QS you will readily u under under- stand for fOl me to speak at once There are man many thIngs I 1 would like to tell you In relation to the future and to our mutual mutual mu mu- lives hero I 1 so 80 presuming as ns to be sanguine of success As Ab it is Is I 1 can n ani only say S1 again dear again dear Laura can you OU love mo In an any ansy case I shall ever Q ei cr bo be your most de lIc- tic tic- voted friend EDMUND D D C C. C STEDMAN Answering a solicitous letter from his mother received In 1857 which arou aroused e Mr S he tolls tells his own stor story o of this period Wo uWe have now been married three and a half halt At t the date of ot our union years I 1 was but 20 years ears old and oven o more o of a a bo boy than I am She had few tew friends and I had none and wanted one true one so I liked ed to 10 visit her Then my partner was in love lo with her and there was Just enough rivalry about us to make me determine to lIu supplant plant him I began bean to lov love her an and have loved her har more and more ever since She is 11 one ono of at those rare women omen who ho are b by nature gentle folk and stepped so easily from tho the chair of ot a sewing girl to the tha sofa iota of ot a lad lady I that people saw that she was noble by birth and her accepted accordingly Stedman and Laura were marrIed on November 3 3 IS 1833 1853 at et Yantic a 11 town in tho the outskirts of ot Norwich They lived d together many years Mrs Aire Stedman dying lying in 1905 and Mr Sted Sled Stedman man toll following three years l later in is Januar January Jan Jan- uary At the death of ot Laura Mr Stedman StEdman Sted- Sted man saint uld I I have ha kept m my vigil of over half a n century and whatever may have been m my shortcomings and and we none of ot uti IJ are worthy of ot our I wives wives I hax have ha e been able to fulfill my bo boyish vow that the role ole of at my Lauras Laura's foot toot should never touch rough ground |