“Mary Beth Evans and Stephen Nichols are absolutely incredible.
They are magical. They made those scenes
(Emily and Gideon/Civil war story) wildly romantic.”
-Anne Howard Bailey, Days head writer 1989

 

Images         The Diary of Emily Matthews Wyatt      Video

 

The Story of Emily Matthews and Captain Gideon Wyatt…

In December 1988, Steve found a badly burned man alongside the highway. He agreed to hide him and attempted to help him any way he could. Eventually, Steve told Kayla about the nameless man who was later revealed to be Nick Corelli, a local pimp who had been murdered. Once Nick was revealed to be alive, he gave Steve and Kayla his old mansion in appreciation for all they had done to help him.

Leaving behind their cherished loft, Steve and Kayla moved into the old mansion. While rummaging through the attic, Steve found an old trunk filled with Civil War mementos. With those mementos was a diary. Kayla began reading from the diary, finding out it belonged to a woman named Emily Matthews. On its pages was the love story of her, a proud and strong Southern belle, and a proud and honorable Union soldier, Gideon Wyatt.  Against all odds, Emily and Gideon fell deeply in love. Their story was relived in the thoughts and imaginaitions of Steve and Kayla.

Emily and Gideon’s story took place during the Civil War. Emily was true to the Confederates, and Gideon served the Union Jack. It was shortly after he and Emily had declared their love for one another that he was sent off to battle. Emily’s heart broke when a lone soldier returned to tell her that her beloved Gideon had fallen in battle. Her only comfort was found the in the child she was carrying. Her love for Gideon would live on through his child.

Emily gave birth to a beautiful son, whom she named after Gideon. It was a year later that Emily discovered that Gideon was still alive. Through impossible odds, she found him, but he was shot by Confederate soldiers, and once again, taken away as a prisoner of war. Never giving up, she again found him, and tended his injured body while soothing his wounded soul.  The day came that he was to be executed, and Emily stood near by as her heart again broke. But before the first shot could be fired, the war was declared over. Emily and Gideon were finally free to live their lives together. They married, and in the grand old home that now belonged to Steve and Kayla, they grew old together until time took its toll, but through the pages of the Emily’s beloved diary, their love never died.

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