Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1868-05-15
Devoted to the interests Of the People.


soothed the wife's conscience, and some
what softened the asperity with which the
female critics of the town spoke OF her
second nuptials.
Years again rolled on, and the missing
John Williams was not only given up as
lost man. but he was almost forgotten.
All who are, familiar with the habits of
thea Welsh people know that in small
towns and country villages they are in the
habit, when they go out, of leaving their
doors on the latch, locks and keys being
thought almost superf1uOus. One fine day,
towards the close of summer, when Mrs.
Williams, now Mrs Williams no longer,
had gone forth with her husband and the
two children (she had none by her second
marriage) to enjoy walk in the neigbor-
ing fields, John suddenly made his agatar
at. Llanelly, and, going straight to his own
house, lifted the latch, hung his hat on a
peg in the passage, and then, finding no
one at hOme went and sat down on Win
dow-seat, whence he could command a
view down the street, to watch for his
wife. After short time, he saw her and
his two children coming towards the house
in familiar conversation with a man, whom,
however, he had known from a boy. He
sprang from his seat and ran to the door
to meet them. A romance-writer might
make something of the situation. and
leave it to the romance writer. When
Mrs. Williams saw her first husband
emerging from the door, she forgot her
second, and, bounding forward, threw
herself, with a burst of tears, into his
arms while honest Griffiths looked on in
astonishment and wonder. The circum-
stances of their position were soon eX-
planned, and the question now was, who
should have the wife? The matter was
settled in this way the men stood on
either side of the woman, and it was
agreed that to whomsoever she should turn
and give her hand, he should remain mas
ter of the situation. She decided in favor
of Williams-the old love, though eclipsed
for while, remaining still the stronger in
her heart. This appears to be the story
upon which Mr.. Tennyson has based his
poetical legend of Enoch Arden.
An anecdote, related not long ago in
the Times, may be cited to prove, if any
proof were needed, that women do not
always show themselves unworthy Of
mans faithful love. In village in Somer-
setshire, two lovers, possessing no means
on which to live, agreed to separate the
man asking the woman to wait for him a
certain number OF years, after which she
would be free, if she thought proper to
marry anotherm She affirmed however,
that she would wait for him till death !;
and he went abroad. Several years later,
gentleman returning by train from Lon
don to Taunton, had companion in the
carriage whose complexion and manner
excited his curiosity. He was swarthy
and sunburned, in the full vigor of man
hood and strength, but excited and uneasy,
with a wandering eye and twitching
features especially when they entered
Somersetshire. At length he found it i'm
possible to preserve silence, and asked the
gentleman if he knew certain village
near Taunton
u live there was the reply, "and am
just returning to it from town."
"Then," said the young man, with diff
Guilty restraining his emotion, "do you
know such a one? ?"-mentioninG young
woman's name.
Yes-perfectly WELL"
" Is she"- and he could go no further
married, you would ask, said the gen
tleman "No; she is waiting for her
lover, who is gone abroad"
"Thats me-" exclaimed the man with
enthusiasm. "Thank God she has waited
for am come back to marry her
The sequel may be left to conjecture
Chambers J0ur7a0l.