The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-05-03

the wall i'm the midst OF the war.
An efficient friend could not always re-
main with us. Ny nominal wife, my cpl
leptic ward, could not bear to part Win
her i" Aunt Kate" as she Familiarity ana
aiiectionately called her. A recurrence
TO the old method of housekeeping was an
impossibility. Boarding was attended with
the same difficulties. Two persons were
necessary for the care Of an epileptic who
couid never be left safely alone, except for
some hours on particular days. My friends,
coming to know the situation, advised an
asylum. Ny heart revolted against that,
as il still revolts against it, although have
had, for long time, an arrangement with
a noble friend Of mine, the honored head
of New England asylum, to take her, in
case of my death, or some imperative ne
cessity.
A new plan was proposed by my patient
herself, at first in jest, then in earnest.
The nominal tie between us should DC
severed, and then she might have two IN n,
stead of one to take care of her. IL VIII
be said that no wife could make such
proposition. Verify, no wife could. Let
il he remembered that she was wife only
in name in reality, adopted child. She
had come to regard it as religiously wrong
10 think of fulfilling the relations OF VIE
in her condition. She ardently desired TO
he released from the responsibilities OF
station she could not fill. When asked by
me with the Interior object of divorce IN
view TO assume the place required OF her
nv the external bond of our union, she re-
VOTED. declaring she should never live with
mo AGAIN. and remained extremely I'M
bappv till she discovered my true mean
inc. 4 simple attestation of this attitude
on her mart satisfied the letter OF the law.
There was no witness against her, except
in the technical sense of the courts. The
testimony, as seen from the point OF view
of our real life, was for her, and as she
wished il. The truth, the whole truth,
and nothing but the truth, was told by the
only one that had the secret of our hearts.
That truth satisfied the laws letter, while
its lust and pure spirit was satisfied by the
purity and justice of our aims.
In order, however, to satisfy some scru-
nles of conscience, we made a first attempt
70 procure divorce on the naked merits
Of the case, under that clause in the In
diana law giving to the judge power to
release from the bond of matrimony when
in his opinion it is best for all parties con-
carned. The cause of our failure is not a
matter Of public interest. We succeeded
elsewhere. Two months after the divorce
was procured l married again. The di-
vorced wife stood by our side with her
attorney during the ceremony, not to
act as bridesmaid, as the attack has it.,
but to signify her appreciation in the
strongest manner. The marriage was
private, in our own rooms. AS the
clergyman pronounced the last words OF
the service she said, in clear, firm tone,
alt is all Just as want it," The mar
rage was solemnized in the presence of a
dozen Christian men and women, repre-
sentatives of some of the best families in
The CITY, who would not have sanctioned a
"aueer," much less an Ubiquitous, thing.
The clergyman, pastor of one OF the lead
ing churches in the place, who had per-
formed the ceremony, had lived In ROOMS
adjoining ours all winter, and knew us
well. He would not have married parties
compelling las it is Intimately "thls d.
vorced wife to stand beside the woman that
was to usurp her place" "The curse ana
blight of the Almighty" is called down
"to avenge the wrongs of this wretched
woman The wretched woman has not
been so happy till onr peaceful 40
nestle circle was invaded by this a''acHj
in a dozen wears as she has been since tnat
bour when She "stood there like living
At the close of the ceremony, myself
and wife adopted the former wife IN the
most solemn, religious manner, promising
70 keep her with us, to care for, cherish,
and support her Gas long as she is spared
70 us,' "as we hope for mercy at the Judg-
mept seat" That adoption is in the form
of a document, signed by US, witnessed by
those present at the ceremony, and left In
the hands of a distinguished clergyman,
omen at all times to all right minded per
sons for inspection. Before our marriage
we signed legal bonds, binding ourselves
in heavy penalties to the same effect
These bonds are in the hands of her at
I torney, where they will remain, and may
/ be seen by properly-intentioned people.
| 1t has been publicly reported that l have
squandered for her large fortune. 1t il
false. She had an income when she was
married, thirteen years ago, of $50. She
now has enough, from property and bonds
! III her own rlShb anu ndine, w soSuio hei
against all contingencies.
! As to foul allusion to the physical uses
of marriage, pass over them in sorrow
not in anger. We here "see through 9
glass darby" The medium through which
each one beholds things is colored by the
hue of his own soul. The life of the
world, as it appears to the vision of each
of us, necessarily takes this tint of the
observers spirit. | thank God that | and
mine can see all around us pure Christian
men and women whose bodies are fit tenn
pies for the indwelling of the Holy Ghost
All these details are painful to me in
the extreme, but the wide circulation
given by respectable journals to the at.
tack leaves me no alternative. In Chris
tian charity have been willing to believe
that sympathy for an afflicted, helples:
woman, that Indignation for her supposed
wrongs, were the motives of the writer o.
that article. Whoever you are that wrote
it, assure you, in the blessed spirit o.
forgiveness, that your sympathy seems tt
it's unfortunate object but an impertinent
mockery. In her disease, perhaps the
heaviest physical calamity Of mortal life
has been laid upon her, she is surrounded
with tried affection in those who have
cheerfully suffered, and will continue
cheerfully to suffer, for her sake and she
begs, for the dear Redeemer's sake, to be
spared the meddlesomeness of those who
are strangers, and necessarily must be
strangers, to our inner life.
Thus, with the Maker of heaven and