Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1860-11-27
Strange Romance.

l
| We have been placed in possession of the out
lines of a strange story, which has almost to
much Munchausen about it to seem true, yet
we are informed, it is substantially correct. i
the Summer of 1868, John Hardwick, poo
mechanic of Pittsburg, was induced, BY the gol
| excitement then raging, to try his luck In tn
miness of California. He accordingly left hi
wife and two children behind and took passag
| around the horn for the Ell Dorado. On arriv
ing there his money had given out, and he wa
| obliged to go to work at mere pittance, to keel
from starving. He made his way, however, a
fact as he could, and, having entered into part
nership with another man, commenced th,
working of a claim. Hardwick prospered, an(
began to think that, at the end Of the year, ht
would be able to go home with large pile o
dust. Human calculations are sometimes wrong
Mr.. Hardwick's calculations were wrong-for ht
was taken sick and came near deaths door.
When he got well his partner had departed
and taken with them the earnings of both. Th,
poor man was almost discouraged. He had beer
away from home eighteen months, and had SEN
nothing back to his family. He wrote to biz
wife, giving her a true statement Of his cond
ton. She never received the letter, and conse
quently he never received any letters, from her
Hardwick went to work again, but the times
grew hard, and he earned but little. He fire.
quently wrote to his wife, but she, strange to
say, never received single line from him. Il
is needless to 60 through every particular of bis
history-snffice i: to saw that, hearing nothing
from bis wife, he concluded that she was glad
to get rid of him, and would not trouble herself
to write to him. He therefore determined to
stay in California till he was rich, and then re-
turn to the Atlantic States. He set himself to
work assidiously, and made money. His bust
ness relations became such, after a few years,
that he could not leave California, but stayed
and accumulated handsome fortune.
In the meantime, Mrs. Hardwick, thinking
her husband was dead, after three years, mar
ried another and emigrated to St. Louis. Her
name became Mathews. Her two children, OF
whom John Hardwick was father, died, and all
traces of John were ohliterated, except from q
very remote corner of ber heart. Mrs. Math-
ews was good wife to her second husband,
so far as we can learn, and bore him two chill
dren. Mathews was in the grocery trade, and
throve well but about year ago he was taken
sick with fever aud died, leaving Mrs. Math-
ews and the children without a protector, as she
thought, but with snug income.
john Hardwick, tired of California life, and
tired of business, too, collected together his eff
fects- which amounted to nice fortune-and
started for home by the overland route. He ar
rived in this city two weeks ago, and remained
a few days to rest before taking the cars for
Pittsburg.
One morning, while walking through Broad
way market, Mr.. Hardwick saw familiar face.
1t was the first familiar face he had seen since
be had left San Francisco-and that face be-
longed to a woman. He quickened his pace and
came up to stall where the lady was about to
purchase beefsteak. Mr.. Ha-dwick's heart
beat wildly beneath his waistcoat. Gould it be
possible9 No. "What should Jane be doing in
St. LOUISE" thought be. He was about to turn
away, when the lady raised her head, and their
eyes met. John Hardwick, as sure as I am
livingl" exclaimed she. ''Jane, is it you 2''
said John. 1t proved to be both of them, and
after mutual explanations, Mr.. Hardwick ac-
companied the lady home, carrying her market
basket for her. Two children met them at the
door. They were blue-eyed and rosy checked
just like those John had left behind-and just as
large-but they did not have features like Johns.
"What matters it," thought our hero-"my two
children are dead, and these are sent to take
their places-I will be father to them." Mr.
John Hardwick was as good as his word. He
helped Mrs. Mathews-formery Mrs. Hardwick.
and destined to be again-to dispose of her
property; then calling clergyman, they had
the matrimonial link tied agan-strong and
fast. In two days they started for the East,
where, we hope, in Pittsburg or some other de-
lghttul town, they are enjoying, at the meridian
OF life, another honeymoon as pleasant as the
first-H Lo2Las BuZLefin (lct Or