Delaware Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1843-1874, 1866-12-24
A TouCHlNG STORY.
truth STRANGER THAN Eicrios--A wIFE's DEvo.
TIoN AND TRIALS.

Truth STRANGER THAN Ficrios--A wIFE's DEv0.
TIoN AND TRIALS.
Among the many sad cases developed by the
war here are perhaps few moie affecting than
Gus Which came under our personal notice
During one afternoon lady dressed In deep
mourning, entered the City Hall station, evil
IDENTIFY laboripg der some mental excitement
or physical exhaustion. Shorty after SIT ine
down she was g. xed with violent spasm.
un Ter VII ch she wrilhtd ard mvaned iu the
most piiiable manner. the iroih O, g ng from her
iips her lace assuming livd hue, her limbs
stifened, and her hands cleucbed in u death
like grasp. Assistance was rendered and she
recovered, but onl, for a moment when she
was taken with another, more violent If pos
slble than the first. These spasms continued
for some time until she became perfectly ex-
bausted Recovering some hat, she exhibited
papers and extracts relating a portion Of her
history, ard there is every reason to believe II
is truthful one. She related that she is the
daughter of q Confederate officer, Il Colonel,
who belonged to a Louisiana regiment named
Henry Sanborn. She 0ave her name 4g Smith.
ana states tnat sae is tho vile of y Lieutenant
of that name, belonging To the 9th or 7th
Michigan They were married about the
breaking out Of the rebellion, aud had one
child when the news reached her of tue death
Of her husband, who was killed NJ the mem.
was At the time In Boston, and as stated, lett
her child in the care of friends at home 10 pay
wiie's tribute Of respect and love over the
grave of lin wto in life had Won her affec-
tions and who in death still retained them
When she reached Philadelphia on her sacred
pilgrimage she was notified OF the death Of her
child at home, but the sad event did not stop
her. 1t was but one more link in the chain
which bound her 10 the past, and oly encour-
aged her to hasten on aud weep more over her
husbands grave. II was indeed another link
in the chain OF memories which bound her to
tho past for during the PROCESS OF the war she
had lost six brothers In the service, and sus-
tanned the loss of mother and four sisters
and, heaviest of all, her husband. Under the
weight OF SO many accumulated sorrow 1t may
be imagined that her constitution was well
| Iigh shattered. She passed through Bati
more and Washington and resched the Will
| derness There she found the last resting place
of ber husband, with its simple slab; and there,
100, she was subsequently found overcome by
griei--her frame writing in strong spasms-
stretched helpless upon the mound. She was
| removed, and after q short interiIi--durng
| which she suffered Constantly from spasms--
| the effect of an over wrought mind and i shat
| tered nervous syetem--went 10 Richmond, en-
her way to Petersburg Ia search of her father,
| who she understood was there 10 Richmond
sho was still sufferer from spasms, during
some OF which she was robbed of most Of her
money ard personal effects. From thence she
went TO Petersburg, and while at the Provost
| Marshafs otice shs was again attacked with
| fts, which came and went with such rapidly
| that she could not be moved for several hours,
In her lucid moments she wept over her con-
/ dit0p, and during her relapses conyersed
| about her deceased husband. When her con-
| dition admitted she was takeu to an hospital,
| where, under kind treatment, she nearly re-
| covered. On being discharged she resolved
i to seek some of her friends In Michigan, ard
| being furnished with transportation she started
| for this State. While in Buffalo day or two
since she was again attacked by her former
weakness, through the prostratiou consequent
| upon the long journey. They came upon her
In the street car; and while eblivious some in
human monster robbed her OF $25 nearly every
cent she had in the world. Determined how.
ever, to proceed to her journeys end, she with
more than womanly iortitude, gathered up her
| strength and succeeded in reaching Detroit.
Her simple narrative of the great grief under
| which she has suffered for many weary month";
was extremely touching, and she found herself
among friends. Shs was. taken to St Mary't
Hospital, where, through the attention OF the
kind hearted sisters, she will receive that coz
ISOLATION aud support OF which she stands sc
much in need. She is in search Of one Mira
Mary Smith, a relative, who II is believed liyeI
in this city engaged in the millinery business
IL was while wandering about looking and in
curing vsiuly for the lady, that she ielt bel
old illness coming on, aud thus her story has
become pubiic.-Dehoit Paper.