A ROMANTIC STORY.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1159, 16 May 1884, Page 3

A ROMANTIC STORY.

The announcement of the death in London of Lady Rose, wife of Sir John Ros», of London, and formerly of Mo Irea 1 , brings to mind some romantic incidents of her early life. Lady Rose was a daughter ( of Robert Emmett Temple, of Rutland, Vt., woo held the piditical position of Pension Ag-nt of the United States Go. vernment for the revolutionary war He was a gentleman ot distinguished appearance and elegant manners, and had brought up his daughters in all the country graces and aecomplishm nts which raaraed the higher classes at the beginning of this century. The ladies paid a visit to Montreal, and the younger married a Montreal gemieijn n (Mr Robert Sweeney), a Pio testanf Irishman, who at that time held the position, of Inspector of Potashes, and was a partner of Colonel Dyde. Her sister married Mr Chapman. The Sweeneys moved much in military circles, and Mrs Sweeney, from her fascinating manner and savoir fair?., became a general favourite. An unfortunate affair took place which caused much comment in fashionable circles in those early days. Major Ward, of the First Royals, was an intimate friend and companion of Mr Sweeney, and one afternoon the two friends strolled up town together. That evening Mr Sweeney had friends to dinner and during the repast a note was brought into Mrs Sweeney, which she immediately han led to her husband. He jumped up from the table, and proceeded to the mess-rooms of the First Royals. Major Ward, hearing ,Mr Bweeneey’a voice, called out to him to cnmo in and have a gla-s of wine. This was sternly rt fused, and, on the Major making bis appearance, Mr Sweeney handed him the note, with the demand “Did you write this, sir?” Major Ward took the missive, and after glancing at it contemptuously, tore it into fragments. Hot words ensued, and a < hdlenge was given anil accepted. A bout sunrise the next morning the two friends, who had left Colonel Dyde in a very friendly mood the night before, stood confronting each other with pistols at the St. PieiTe race course, on the Lachine road. The word was given, and Mr Sweeney, who was an accomplished duellist, having had several affairs before, shot his antagonist through the heart before the latter had time to explode his weapon. He and his wife retired to the States nn*il, at the request of the officers of Major Ward’s regiment, a nolleprotequi was entered, add ne was allowed to return, to find that the letter was the heedless practical joke of a flighty girl who hart imitated Major Ward’s, handwriting. The circnmstanoe so preyed on Mr Sweeney’s mind that he died lit«ra ly broken hearted. A short time afterwaids his young widow, with her son, went to board at a house ou Victoria square, and there she met Jame* Rose, a youth from Huntington, who was studying law in the office of Judge Day. A mutual attachment between the fascinating and accomplished widow and the talented young law student ensued, and shortly after his admission to the bar they were married. Her wonderful tact and suaxity o( manner made her a leader-in society, where she was-ever on the alert to advance her husband’s interests. As Lady Beaconsfield was to her husband, i so Lady Rose was the mainspring of Sir , John Rose’s success, and her diplomacy and i ] ambition spurred her husband on to higher i I aims, which made him one of the foremost i Canadians of his time. Sir John entered

- '>/ , I < , ’f,o f(5 . political life early and advanced rapidly, I working in «-onuectioir witb At I Macdonald. He wiw at one riqie the Minister of Finanbo[ froin Whio.i position he re-' tiied to entur the firm of Morton, Hose, & ,<.•'«>., hankers, of Londonabd Nbw. York.— Detroit Free.Press, n., / •O''— - ■■•**MTff I, *"Ts!!li!sg!,', g ;