Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1849-03-12
From the Chicago Democrat.
A BIT OF 2OMANCE.


1t Is trle, but at the same time true remark,
that the real incidents of life constantly occurring
around US, possess far more romantic interest
than iancEnl ones conceived in the teemlng brain
Of the noveIists. OF this the -'o'er Aue tale, ;"
told US IN brief by the steward of The packet boat
Louisiana, on Saturday, will furnish an illustra-
ton.
Some ten years ago, as our readers will remem-
Der, there was what was termed a rebellion, In
Canada, and after the ''patriois" were subdued,
some Were summarily executed, and 4 portion
banished for long termo years to Australia.
Most Of these latter, were men with families, from
whom they were torn without mercy, to explate,
in a iar q slant land, by imprisonment and hard
labor fsIe of having failed in the attempt to
rid their country Of the evils o. inagovernmeIst.-
We think they acted very unwisely in proceeding
to the length they did, but this point we shall not
stop to consider With one Of the expalriated
men our tale has chiefly to do. For seven or
eight years he had borne the hardships of lonely
captivity, hopeless Of ever seeing home or friends
again, "hena general amnesty was proclaimed by
the British government in regard to ALL with one
or two exceptions OF those who had been concern
ed in the rebellion. Our hero was now at liberty
and his first thought was TO seek his home But
he had no means to pay his passage there, and he
accordingly shipped on board whaling vessel,
which at the end of two years more, landed him
upon his rative shore.
Wife, children and friends. filled his thoughts.
and he FASTENED to his Old residence in Canada
Every thing remained as il had been-friends and
neighbors greeted him as he passed-but now his
heart sunk within him to find the homestead de-
serted, and to learn that his wife had been married
two years TO another, supposng the ''hlsband of
her youth TO be dead. She and her new found
mate had left that part of the country and settled
somewhere in Illinois.
The poor man felt desolate indeed, and deter
mined to see, and, if possible, to reclaim her After
weary travel, and many enquiries, he traced
her to Knox county, Illinois, where they We're
comfortably settled in their now home There he
presented himselfa few days since. The wife
could not have been more surprised Or panied to
see an apparation from the grave for she had long
considered him as dead The new husband, too
was rather dlsagreeably surprised to see before
him claimant for his Wife. What should be
done? The first husband was anxious to obtain
the lady-the second was disincIined to give her
up, looking upon his claim as good.
They were reasonable people all around The
original claimant remained in the neighborhood
two weeks, during which time the matter was
frankly talked over At last the rivals came to
the wise conclusion that the lady was the proper
person to make final decision Of the question, and
to her it was mutually agreed to refer it, giving
What moro perplexing position could woman
be placed in than ths2 Here two men had al |
most equal claims upon her affections. One was
the father of her chidren-but ope-the compan- ,
ION OF her youth-the other, bound to her by near
and sacred ties, and by the mutual love they bore
an Infant which had been born to than She |
could Motor a moment decide-what true hearted
woman could! tumult of thoughts and ono
tons filled her heat, alternately swaying her from
side to side. Thus the conflict lasted for several
days, during which time she was enabled to look |
into her heart, and at last she was ready for de-
cison. Which could she choose but the man |
around whom was twlned the tendrs of a first and |
strong affecton-to whom she had given the first
offering of her heart? The needle NAV vibrate
for time, but it points with uEfang consistency |
to the never setting star of the Norh-and in like
manner theheart of true woman having in the
wide universe but one fitting mate, will, after vi
cissitudes, turn lovingly to the sunny warmth of
her ''frst, only love-"
A disposition of the youngest must now be- made |
and it was mutually agreed by the two men
that it could not be deprived of mothers care,
the first husband should take it along with the
children to be restored to the father at some future
tme.-1he united family now made preparations
to go TO a new home, and SO great was the inter
est excited in the neighborhood by this singular
affair, that as many as one hundred and fifty per
sons from the vicinity were present to witness
their departure. On Saturday last they came IN
Ga the packet Louisiana, OF their way to Michigan,
where they will take up their residence We
naturally sympathize with the first husband, to
whom the vile and children are restored-but
who will not feel for the bereavement of the
second?
TNvEsysy,ysy .,rAwrs.N ar Dyr.x.e