The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1859-12-08

no expense TO him she must go and re-
main with him. until by industry and en-
terprise her self-sacrifcing husband had
regained the only station in which he
could claim her without a blush Fran
tically the young wife demonstrated; but
James was firm in his almost fabulous
honor, and they parted.
The self-widowed husband went to a
distant city. and again mounted the
clerks stool, where he remained two
whole years, receiving just enough to
support him decently. During all this
time he neither wrote to, not received a
letter from, his wife for such silence
was one of the conditions upon which
her father received her home again. In
vain he strove to gain promotion-for he
had no friends to aid him with their in
iluence. and he relinquished nearly ev-
cry hope for the future, when rich un-
Gle died in California, without will, or
any nearer relatives, aud the poor clerk
inherited his entire fortune. This sud
| den smile of fortune raised James from
the depth of despair to the highest heights
of joy, and visions Of a reunion with
his beloved wife flew thick and fast
through his dreams. But honor must be
satisfied before love, and his debts in Chi
cago before he could be worthy of his
best reward. He first went to California,
sold off the estate of the deceased, and
procuring drafts on New York, returned
to the West. Each creditor in Chicago
was paid his full claim, with interest !;
and one morning in July, the heir ap-
peared in the counting room of his father
in-law. to return the money he had loan
ed him during his honey moon.
The old gentleman received him very
coolly, and greatly surprised was James
to notice that he received the money
without changing his manner. Poor fell
low little did he dream of the sorrow in
store for him. After much hesitation he
inquired after his wife with great emo
ton The merchant arose from his chair
with a frown, and answered sternly II
you speak of my daughter, Mr.. -, she
is well and happy. But she is no longer
your wife. You deserted her, and the
law accepted that inexcusable deserlon
as cause for freeing her from all your
claims as husband ! She is now Mrs.
-
Such was the noble husbands reward
for his godike self-sacri6ce. Scarce had
he been away from Chicago six months,
when her father induced her to visit In
diana, and procure divorce from her too
faithful husband, on the plea of heartess
deserlion I! She went, was divorced by
the iniquitous laws of that State. and re-
turned home to be wooed and won by an
other.
Surely, it was not strange that the be-
trayed man fell, like log, at the feet of
the iron. hearted poisoner of his life. He
was carried from the counting room to
hospital, and when he arose from the bed
of sickness, disease had left his body to
settle on his mind. At first there SEEM
ed to be method in his madness he
invested his money to good advantage,
and, as has since been discovered, willed
it TO the woman who betrayed him but
in few weeks there was change and
for few days he would walk the streets,
attracting much attention by his odd way
of dressing, and carefully scanning each
female face he met, with an expression of
hopeless agony that was heart rending to
behold. At last he found out where she
lived, and saw her hanging fondly on the
arm of another. Then he formed the
strange idea of giving her the heart she
u"o thio"u away III SctiHS that
might cause her to value it. He order
ed golden urn, as we have stated at the
commencement Of the story, and when in
that last great object of his life he was
baffled. his madness took more decided
tnrn. and he claimed the false one in the
public street.
Such is the story as it is told to US.
and comment would neither alter nor ag-
gravate the fact that stands out in indeli-
able .distinctness. Truth is stranger
than fiction" and in the vast world of
Reality about us, there are domestic dra.
mas constantly enacted, more terrible in
their incidents and plots than the subtlest
romancer ever dreamed of.
Heroism in Private Life.
The following is portion Of a Lecture