Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-08-28
PUBLIC LEDGER.
LARGEST CITY CIRCULATION.
What tho War Brought TO Michigan
Home.

The wild, rank weeds, and the tall grass
that mourns with the solemn night winds
above the soldiers grave, tell not half SO
sad a tale as that which has so often come
from the soldiers home. The wreck and
ruin which the Generalization attendant
upon a long, fierce war has brought pre-
sents a ehastlier picture than all the
boodiest fields Of the great contest, ana
the walls Of pandemonium echo to the
hellish rnans Of its demon legions as
they never echoed before.
One of the saddest of all the sad his
tories interviewer with the events OF the
four years struggle, is that Of a Michigan
home. many Of the incidents Of which
transpired in this city. 10 1864 Michi-
gan regiment was sent here for provost
duty. as strong, well fed and well clad
body of men as ever marched under the
silken banners OF the Wolverine State.
The Colonel Of this regiment was made
Provost Marshal, and the negro question
being at that time particularly delicate,
the man with the eagles made himself
peculiarly odious to Kentuckians by an
utter disregard Of their feelings, prelu-
dices and rights Of property. The Major
of the regiment, on the contrary, treated
our people to the respect due them, and
when an order came removing the Colo
mel to another field, and putting the Ma
jor in his place, everybody said good,
and there was no more litter feeling be-
tween the military and the people. Ma
jor - was all that gentleman could
behind, courteous and polite, and soon
became very popular, moving in the
highest social circles, and mingling
freely with the merry and gay of his fell
lows He was married man, his lovely
wife and sweet little girl child residing
at Kalamazoo, one of the most beautiful
Of the cities Of Michigan, and where he
had entered the Federal service. His
father. a venerable and highly esteemed
citizen, was also a resident of that place,
and at home no man bore more spotless
reputation than did Major -.
While in Louisville, he was, like most
other military men, a patron OF the
drama, and frequently visited the thea.
ter. which, at that time was hardly con-
Quoted as such an institution should be,
for the theater.goers were almost as
familiar with the doings behind the
scenes as with the performances before
the curtain, the people " having many
acouaintances among the audience, and
being allowed to receive friendly visits
from favorites. With one of the troupes
then playing was Miss -, an actress
Of moderate merit, to whom Major -
one day happened TO get an introduction.
T6is acquaintance, through various cir
cumstances over which, perhaps, neither
had control. ripened, and strange to say,
the Major became one OF her warmest
admirers. OF these she had not a few,
for though very plain woman, and In
tellectual in appearance, she was one OF
those peculiar creatures who seem to
carry with them a strange power, an
irresistible magnetism, fatal to all who
chance to come Under its weird influence.
Possessed of jovial, careless DISPOSE
ton, the young Michigan officer became
an easy prey to her wiles, and, though
being aware of the power she had gained
over him, instead Of attempting to break
the web her skillful fingers had woven,
he gave himself up soul and body to the
tempter.
His letters home, where his poor wife |
was praying for his safe return, indicated |
nothing of what was transpiriDg in Lou.
isvile, and though they began to come
less frequently, she accepted all his ex-
cuses, and never once suspected the man |
she would gladly have died for. Finally |
he ceased writing altogether, and for |
months no tidings reached her, save the !
mere mention of him that came in occa- !
sional letters of some brother officer.
Determined to learn the worst, she set out
from Kalamazoo, in company. with tie
father of the Major and her little daugh-
ter, and came to Louisville. Here the
terrible truth was revealed to her. The
actress had abandoned the stage, and was
living in open adultery with Major -,
of the til Michigan volunteers. Nor
was this all. Evil companions and the |
dram shops had worked a powerful |
change in the once sober, clear-headed |
officer, and the heart broken wife was
appalled, at the ruin that had been |
wrought in one she had believed above re-
proach.
A true woman, however, she did not
quite give up, and resolved to make at
least one desperate effort for his redemp-
ton, remembering what he had been,
and hoping for the future. She implored
him to return with her and abandon the
life he was leading, but all her supplica.
tons and the appeals Of his old father
proved unavailing. he was lost forever.
As last resort she went to the woman
who had robbed her of ell she held dear,
and on her knees begged the base harlot
TO release her husband, to give him back J
to her for the sake of her darling child,
and for the sake Of the old father whose,
head was bowed in shame and disgrace.
The only answer Of the vile woman W as
a peremptory order for Mrs. - to leave
the house.
Finding all efforts fruitless, the unfor-
tunate lady decided to return home, and
the sad trio went back to Michigan.
There the wretched wife soon became an
inmate of the mad-house, and shortly
after died, rsving maniac. Just before
his regiment was mustered out, Major
- resigned, and from that time his
descent to the lowest depths of wretched
life was rapid and sure. He continued
TO live with his companion in infamy a
long time, and both figured conspicu-
ously in the police court at various
dates, as keepers of a disorderly house
and disturbers generally. Not long
since, he suddenly disappeared from the
city and left no hint of his proposed des.
tina,ion, nor did any one care to inquire
whittier the wretched sot had gone. Miss
-, the actress, the heartless destroyer
of happy home, the murderer Of pure,
loving wife, who has covered with il
nomy aud shame helpless child and a
once proud father, is now an inmate Of a
house of ill-faue in this eity.-Louis-
riUe Courier.