Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1862-03-12
MISCELLANEOUS,
a Strange but True Story.

A circumstance which fully illustrates
the saying that truth is stranger than 6c-
ton recently came before Judge Shars-
wood, in the District Court Some time
since there was a couple residing in this
city, who were surrounded with many bles-
sings. The husband possessed a comfor-
table share Of worldly goods, his wife and
himself were fondly attached to each other,
and together they doated upon an only child
The first blow to their happiness was the
loss of their little one, who sickened and
died, leaving the parents heart broken
The death of the child fell like a shadow
upon the household; the parents became
unhappy, moodiness came in the train Of
their melancholy, and absolute aversion
for the society of each other soon followed
The sourcd ond discontented pair finally
determined upon a separation, and a divorce
vas procured.
After a time both married again, and
they became utter strangers to each other
so far as social intercourse was concerned
IL so happened that it became necessary to
remove the remains Of the dead child from
the grave where it had been inferred, and
the father was notified of the fact A
handsome lot was procured by the latter in
one of the cemeteries north of the city, and
day was fixed for the reinterment. The
father notified the former wife and the
mother Of the child of the circumstance,
and informed her by note that fshe thought
proper she could attend the burial Of the
remains. The mother accepted the invita-
ton, and y ith her second husband repaired
to the cemetery. The father with his Sec
ond wife was already there. The little
coffin was plaed near the open grave, and
the parents of the occupant advanced to it,
while the second wife and husband stood
in the background. The couple who had
now been so long estranged, and who had
met so strangely over their dead hopes, ga
zed earnestly at each other the solemnity
of the hour revived their old tenderness,
and falling into each others arms both
burst into tears. The re-interment took
place, and the parties returned to their
| proper homes
With the consent of all who we're inter
ested, the father of the dead child visited,
on terms of irienship, his former wife, and
they we're in the habit of riding out to
gether'
Not long after this singular reconclia-
tion the father of the child took sick and
died Before his death he placed in the
hands of friend two city bonds, of thou
sand dollars each, to be handed over to his
first wife, in the event of his death. In
his will he appointed as his executor the
friend who was the custodian of the bonds,
and his first and second wives. The friend,
in his capacity of trustee, was uncertain as
to the legality of the gift under the circum-
stances, and he made application to the
court for decision in the matter, to secure
himself from loss. The legal heirs of the
deceased offered no opposition to the anti
motrem bequest, and the court decided in
favor of its legality.
The famous scene of the reconciliation
of Mrs. Haller to her husband, in the play
of the Stranger which generally nelts
tender hearted spectators to tears, is infe-
rior in respect to this drama in real life,
which eliminated beside the coffin of the
dead d Union Herald