The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1848-10-07
From the Chicago Tribune.
Two Husbands TO one Wife.

conceived in the teeming brain OF the
novelist, OF this the folio wing .so'sf
true tale," told US in brief by the stsw-
ard OF the packet boat Louisians, on
Saturday, will furnish an illustration:
Some ten yeara ago. as our readers
will remember, there was what Was
termed s.rebeilion" in CaAads, and u.
ter the "patriois' were subdued, spnae
were summsrily executed, and q poss
ton banished, for a long term OF ysort
to Australia. Most ofthese latter were
men of-families, from which !hey wsTe
torn without mercy, 10 expatiats ms
far distant land, by Imprisonment and
hard labor, the crime OF having failed
in their attempt tosrn their,conntry Of
the evils Of misgovernment. We think
they acted very unwisely in proceeding
to the extreme they did, but this point
we will not stop to consider. With !
one OF these expatriated men our tale
has chiefly to do.
For seven or eight weary years he
had borne the hardships Of lonely cap
tvity, hopeless Of ever seeing home or
friends again, when general amnesty
was proclaimed by TIE British govern
ment in regard to all, with one orrtwo
exceptions, Of those who had been con-
ccrned in the rebellion. Our hero was
nov atliberty, and his first thought wSs
to seek his home. But he had no
means 10 pay his passage there, andhe
accordingly shipped OH board a wlIaiing'
vessel, which at the end OF two yesrs
more, landed him upon his native shore.
Wife, children and friends filled his
thoughts, and he hastened on to his old
residence in Canada. Every thing re-
mained as it had been--lriends and
neighbors greeted, him as he. passed,
aiong-but how his heart sunk within
him to find the homestead deserted, and
tolearh tha: his wife had been married
two years to, another, supposihg tho
husband Of hsi youth to be dead. Sho
and her newsfound mate had left thar
part Of the cesstry and settled somss
where in Illinois. ,.tl0fl qsAf sI
The poor man felt desolate, indeed;
he determined to see, and if possible 70
reclaim his wife and children. Aftera
long and weary travel, and many IN.
quiries he traced them to Knox county,
Illinois, where they were, comfortably
settled in their new home. There ha
presented himself a few weeks since.
The wife could not have been more sur.
prised or panied to see >an apparition
from the grave, for she had long cpn-
sideIed him as dead. The new hos.
band, too, was rather disagreeably sur:
prised 10 see him as claimant for bis
wife. What should be donef The
first husband was anxious to obtain the
lady, the second was disinciined 20 siv6
her up, looking upon his claim as good.
They were reasonable people al
round. The original claimant remained
in the neighborhod couple Of wecAs,
during which time the matter was
frankly talked over. At last the rivals
came to the very just and rational con-
cusion that the lady was the proper
person to make a. final decision of tho
question, and to her>it was mutual!y
agreed to refer it, giving her time 10
consider it in all its bearings ass saH
What more perplexing situation could
a woman be placed in than that? Here
were two men with almost equal claims
upon her affections. One was the faili-
er Of all her children but one, the COM
panion of her youth--lhe other bound
10 her heart by near. and sacred ties,
and by the mutual love they bore ~
infant that had been born 10 them. She
could not for a time decide--whai tFup
hearted woman coulda "A tuml!t Of
thoughts and emotions filled her heart,
swaying her from side y
side. Thus the conflict lasted for ses-
eral days, during which time she W.
enabled to look clearly into iier own
heart, aud at last.she was ready issag
decision. " ~
Which should she choose but the mAfl
around whom were twinedsths tendrls
Of first and strongaffection-to whom
she had given the first offerings Of Nor
heart? The needle may vibrate foS a
time, but it points atlast with unfaiing
constancy TO the never erriDg star of
the north: and in like manner the hsaft
Of true woman, having 10 the vide
universe but! one fitting mate, will ailer
all vicissitudss, tarn lovingly 70 the
sunny warmth other "firsi, and snly .
love" gsii Isl. s,..as sas ssss,apl.x
IA disposition Of tho youngest child
must be made, land il was mutually
agreed by tbetwo men hat ssitcould
not be deprived OF a moiher's careyiha
first husband should take it, srithpthe