The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1869-11-11
EBENsBURG Pa, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 1l. 1859

"lhat was none other than Ralph
Wagner !"
''Good heavens !" you amaze me-" /
cried ''your husband burglar 2"
''Sit down, doctor, and let me tell you
painful story in few words, and then
if you can give me advice and sympathy
shall receive it with gratitude and if
you scorn and cast me.from you'll shall only
find was mistaken III supposing you had
a heart
seated myself and became all attention
Il was reared in affluance,'' she began.
land Tor seventeen years was the pride and
JOY OF fond parents. At seventeen fell
III with man some years older than my
self, whom l believed to be perfectiun it.
self. My father knew better and warned
me against him He faally forbade him
the house. We corresponded afterwards,
met clandestinely, and eloped with him
eve went, as | supposed, to the house
of clergyman, and then and there were
| married, and then set off on a wedding
tour. The man l had so wildly loved
proved to be black heated villain, and
finally deserted me in a strange city
''fIe afterward wrote me that the mar
riage was sham, and that he had de-
ceived me in that manner in order to be
revenged on my father for his Insults.
''A blank followed this awakening from
a bright and glorious dream to reality
too horrible for an ordinary mind to con-
template. / had brain fever | wrote
home to my father the whole terrible truth,
and implored him TO receive back his poor,
heart broken daughter. | was ragged
mendieant in a strange city, and God only
knows with what intense and fearful anx-
iety awaited the answer to that letter
waited days, days-I waited for,,months
None ever caIne; was cast off, then
bandoned-ruined for this world and for
the next.
cat last Ralph offered me bis protec-
ton and his hand l accepted. We were
married. He declared he loved me, and
certainly treated me with respect. did
not know that he was house breaker,
and when l found out I asked myself
what better l was than he, that should
leave him. So l have lived with him
ever since, nearly two years, and now he
is arrested and l am again alone in the
world, Such is my sad, history, doctor.
Now tell me what to do"
"Write again to yonr parents" said l !;
''they may not nave received your letter. I"
81 have sometimes hoped so, and /
want to die 10 that delusion, if ii be one, %
she eagerly replied. ''If were to get an
answer now, that they knew my condition
and had cast me off forever, it might craze
my poor brain again"
sit is never too late to repent" I re-
Piled.
After hearing much more of similar
purport, | asked again why she did not
write to her parents, and urged her to give
me their address and let me ascertain, in
my own way, if they still loved and cared
for her, She finally wrote the address on
slip of paper. l read it, sprang from
my seat, and looked at her in perfect
amazement
understood If all, but could scarcely
credit my senses.
pass over the scene that followed this
strange discovery.
1t was mistake on her part-her let
ter had not reached her almost distracted
parents, who long mourned ker dead, or
lost to them forever. She went home
with me and remained at my house until
her fond and loving parents came to re-
claim her.
Three years after, Ralph Wagner died
in prison, and with him pcrished one great
portion of the guilty secret. have pur-
posely concealed the other names, bat my
sad story is none tie less true, notwith>
standing.