Bio: Taylor, Belle

Contact:  Stan

----Sources: Wood River times. (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, February 27, 1892

Surnames: Maxwell, Taylor

MUTUAL DISAPPROVAL  

Two Beings, Engaged Through a Matrimonial Agency, See Each Other.  

Many stories have been told of happy weddings being brought about through the agency of the matrimonial newspapers, and many others of how persons of either sex were greatly disappointed when they met their correspondents, to whom they had become engaged through such agencies, says the Chicago Times. But here is a story wherein both parties were dissatisfied after meeting, and where the engagement was broken by mutual agreement. Thomas Maxwell, a cattle breeder of Austin, Texas, answered Miss Belle Taylor's advertisement in a matrimonial paper, which read as follows:

"A young lady, handsome brunette, 25 years of age (1867), and of loving disposition, wishes to correspond with a middle-aged, wealthy gentleman with a view to matrimony. Address B. T., Greenwood, Wis."

They corresponded several months and became engaged. It was arranged that they should meet at the Chicago union depot yesterday and be married Christmas eve. Miss Taylor sent Mr. Maxwell a photograph and he sent her a tintype. By the use of these, pictures they were to identify each other.

                                                    CITY OF CHICAGO, 1892

The picture Miss Taylor sent was a photograph of her youngest sister, and Maxwell sent a tintype which was taken fifteen years ago. They were both bent on deceit, and the funny part of the whole affair came out when Maxwell, after a careful search of the depot, found Miss Taylor in the ladies' waiting room. He finally mustered up sufficient courage to speak to her, and when she saw that in fiancée was a man 60 years old (1832) and a typical Texas ranger she almost fainted, and indulged in a hysterical fit of weeping, with interjected criminations of "liar," '"deceitful villain," etc.

Maxwell accused her of having sent him a photograph of her younger sister and called her a "pesky old hen," whereupon she attacked him with a parasol, and he made a hasty exit from the depot. Miss 'I'aylor returned to Green Bay early last evening, and Maxwell left for his Texas home a few hours later. The depot police men enjoyed themselves hugely at the expense of the pair, and the Texan celebrated the day by entertaining all corners at a bar across the street, admitting that the laugh was on himself.