Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1860-01-31
Strange Occurrence at Funeral.

One OF the StEaDSest occurrences happened
Thursday at the funeral of Michael Guthrie,
who was accidentally killed the day previous on
the Northwestern railway, which we have ev
er been called upon to chronicle. The family of
Mr.. Guthrie, consisting of wife and three chill
dren, had made extensive arrangements for the
accommodation OF the friends of the deceased at
the funeral. A large number Of carriages and
numerous assembly of mourners were present,
when the undertaken, Mr.. Berry, arrived with
the hearse. About the same time another car
riage containing woman richly and fashiona-
bly, dressed. was driven to the door. . The WO.
man aighted and entered the house. To the as
tOnlshment of the assembly, to all OF whom she
was a total stranger, she greeted the children of
Guthrie as her own, and they in turn greeted
her as their mother, manifesting the greatest
| Joy, mingled with surprise at seeing her. The
wife on the other hand was confounded. She
knew not what to say, nor what to think, of
this sudden aud strange appearance of one who
claimed also to be the wife of the deceased, and
who was addressed by his children as their
mother, she knew herself to be their stepmOther,
having been married to their father in the due
legal form, and n the full confidence that his
first wife was dead. This supposition being now
overthrown by the sudden appearance of one
who claimed to be that deceased wife, the other
wife began TO upbraid the children for not tell
ing her that their mother was living. The real
mother (for such the stranger was) assured her
that the children were not to blame, as they, as
well as their father, had reason to believe her
dead She had deserted her shusband in the
city OF St. Louis, where they lived, aud shortly
afterward caused an announcement of her Death
to be published in the newspapers of that city
But she was not dead. Leaving st. Louis, she
had lived in Chicago, not knowing that her hus-
band was here until she saw the account OF bis
death published in the papers Thursday morning
She had come to reclaim her children and to be-
hold for the last time earth the form OF their
father, The appearance OF the stranger indlcat-
ed that she was one of that numerous class OF
abandoned women who sail along our sidewalks.
1t may be well supposed that ''scene" followed
the announcement OF her relation to the deceaed
in that funeral assemblage. The friends who
had congregated to pay the last rites to the dead
, suddenly changed their minds and refused to
follow the hearse to the cemetery. They also
declared that the wife (she whom they had sup
posed to be the only wife) should not do so.-
The stranger offered to pay the carriage expen-
ses of the family, but the friends wonid not per-
init it, In the midst of considerable confusion
the stranger invited the three children into heI
carriage They obeyed, and the carriage was
! driven away. The hearse left the house shortly
afterward bearing the remains OF the deceased
but not single mourner TO Ioilow IL Cn az
irving at the cemetery it was reJolned by the
carriage containing the new found mother ana
her children, who, with the sexton ana unaer
, taker. alone witnessed its burial. Then the
children were conveyed by their mother to
} new home-where we know not, and woulc
that we could suppose it to be better one thar
} that from which they were so strangely and IN
expectedly taken Chicago Times
"Vell, lasht night wash de worst as never
, wash. taught to go down the bill to mine
house, but, no sooner did walk, den de fasder
stand still, for de darkness was SO tick DAT
coot not stir it init mine boots, and den de rali
in more dan tree minute my skin was wet troe
, to mine close. But den in Won leetle vie u
stopped quittn to rain something;. SO L keeps
feeling myself all de way long; and ven come;
to mine own house to walk in, vat DO You nnk
1t belong to somepody else."