Rensselaer Republican, Volume 22, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 August 1890 — STANLEY’S BRIDE. [ARTICLE]

STANLEY’S BRIDE.

How the Great African Explorer Won A full, robust, handflftne woman, rather inclined to etaSbupoiat. with tiflr hair, deep bine eyes, a straight well-developed nose, a lovely complexion, white teeth, foil mouth, small dimply hands, said pretty feet, about describe the young lady who has become Mrs. Henry M. Stanley. From a soolety point of view," few young ladles in London are better knfwu than Mrs. Stanley. Not a festival of the year, from a flower show,- or a “first night” at the opera, to a garden party at Malborough House; but Miss Dorothy Tennant’s name appears in the list of guests. She has acquired a distinct fame in London for the quiet elegance es her gowns and the number and variety of her parasols, which is apparently a hobby with her, ami she never appears in the park, either riding or driving,, without a cavalcade of admirers en suite, which has hot been lessened by the announcement of her engagement to the famous explorer. A clever article, generally illustrated, in one of the magazines, or a striking picture in one of the galleries, keeps her always in front in literary and art circles; in fact, as the Princess of Wales remarked, when congratulating Mr. Stanley: “You marry not only a very pretty and charming girl, but a woman brimful of genius,” Miss Tennant Is no relation to Sir Charles Tennant, whose daughter is supposed to be engaged to Mr. Balfour, the Irish Secretary of State. The families are in no way connected. Mr. Stanley’s future mother-in-law is a handsome widow, enjoying the large fortune left her by her late husband, a Parliamentary lawyer. Mr. Gladstone and other personages of the Liberal party are frequent guestß at her table, and more than one coronqt has been offered, and refused by her two beautiful daughters. Her only other child,' a son, is a mild young man, who shows none of the intellect of his sisters. He is engaged to be married to the daughter of a country ’Squire, and will probably appear at the altar of Hymen at the same time as his sister. The story of Stanley’s wooing is gradually being disclosed. He first met Miss Tennant when last in England, and for awhile was received with the same coolness which has usually characterised the lady’s reception of attentions from gentlemen. But the indomitable eourage, energy and wonderful powers of description possessed by the explorer gradually won the heart of one who possessed similar traits in so marked a degree, and when Stanley managed to pluck up sufficient courage to propose she fainted with mingled delight and excitement. She promised to wait until he returned from his next African trip, and insisted that their engagement should be kept secret. The letiers whieh have passed between “Stanley Africanus” and his fiancee, if they ever see the light of publication—lovo letters of eminent persons are now included in the printer’s prey—will be truly curious stories, for no doubt the explorer told more to his lady love than he will ever confess elsewhere of the awful tribulations of his march through the African swamps and forests. His brother explorers were aware es their commander’s love story, and many a tree in the strange lands visited has “Dolly” deeply cut into the bark. The natives used to think it the sign of the white chiefs fetish, and often prostrated themselves before it. In one of his letters Stanley such a harrowing account of the sufferings oi his band, and gave such a vivid picture of a gigantic negro slowy swallowed by a huge serpent, that Miss Tennant spooned after- reading it. Stanley has brought a most extraordinary collection of curios home for Miss Tennant, many of them being now on exhibition at the African Society’s show. He declares that he will never permit his wife to shtyre the dangers of exploration, and that if he goes again to Africa she roust remain at home or in Egypt until he returns. Stanley’s first love affair. Newport (R. I.) Correspondence. The announcement of Stanley’s engagement of marriage to Miss Dorothy Tennant, the London painter, will recall to the memory of the older working journalists of New York his earliest known dream of domestic bliss. His inamorata was a truly sweet [Philadelphia girl, daughter of a well known family of that city. It was a wonderful love match, flaming gloriously along through 1867, ’6B and ’69, while Stanley was an, ordinary sort of correspondent and utility man on the New York Herald. He was a furious and ardent lefrer; kept .the railway car seats warm between New York and Philadelphia visiting his betrothed; and the balance of the timedrove Felix De Fontaine and the rest of Els COmpanions among the old time Herald boys wild with his rosy schemes for future domestic joys. The greatest source of their discomfiture was in his perennial and gorgeous architectural fancies. He drew hundreds upon hundreds of plans, each one for a residence to cost anywhere from SIOO,OOO to $600,000, though the generous and Improvident fellow seldom had more than enough money on hand for “a bowl” -t “Cobweb Hall,” and before he would mail these to his Philadelphia sweetheart, as he almost daily did, his set among the Herald boys Ihust invariably examine and pass judgment upon them. “Going over to dismiss the changes in our future home,” came to be the explanatory remark as the party went into council. This was something fearful on the ether fellows, all forgiven, however, for Stanley had a big heart for the fravernSy; and he would never forget hia fillows, not he; nor his lovely wife to be, not she. One great, grand room was to bo theirs forevermore. Indeed,

the wonderful mansion was to bo built all around this grand room. It was to bo filled with broad, cool leather lounges. A great library was to cover its wails. It should have half a dozen fireplaces, and at least a dozen cozy comers. Tables and ail materials for writing should be everywhere—yet nothing “sbop-liko” in sight. There should be loads of splendid rugs. A sideboard provided with such galore of inspiration and wealth of cigars as never was in any other man’s home should be there for his newspaper friends. By George! they should eat, drink, sleep and work there, if they liked. In a word, it was to be, and be called, their “Soul’s Rest.” This dream was broken in upon by his African search for Livingstone. On his return, the most famous man of his time, 1872, he found his betrothed married, and already a mother. The “Soul’s Rest” dream was done. The heads of the old Herald boys are already well silvered. The Philadelphia lady is the mother of young men looking about for wives themselves. And Stanley, still hale and hearty, realizing his dream in another way, with one womafl who could work and wait, is to be a sort of King in the vast Congo Free State.