The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1870-08-05
TRUTH STRANGER THAN FICTION.

Some fifteen years ago there lived in
the northern part of Portage township
a young married couple by the name of
William and Anna Ciarkinson. They
owned a little farm, and made enough
to keep them comfortably in the world,
and were apparently happy. William
was handsome and well educated, hav-
ing graduated at an Eastern university.
He did not like the honest but humble
occupation of farming. Wealth accum-
ulated too slowly by following the
plow he wanted to make money by the
thousands of dollars. So the farm was
sold. Mrs. Clarkinson went to live
with her parents, and William started
for the golden State of California, with
the expectation of ''picking up coup
lie of million dollars in a couple of
years.
For a few months Mrs. Clarkinson
occasionally heard from her husband,
either directly or through some of the
neighbors who had friends with the
same train with which her husband was
going. Then there was long interval
during which no word came. After
time there were rumors that the train
had been attacked by Indians, and every
one killed. This was at last too truth
fully verified by one poor fellow, who
was found by another party few days
after, with just enough life left to tell
how the train had been attacked one
dark night, and before any could recov-
er from their surprise, all were killed
and scalped, and the Indians rode tri-
umphantly away with their booty.
For three years Mrs. Clarkinson
mourned for her dead husband. After
the lapse OF that time she married again,
and move, 10 Wood county. For near
lxrf Vua hn honnU q a
kind and affectionate husband and two
| beautiful children could make woman.
AT the end of that time, which carries
us up to the 1st instant, affliction again
castits mantle over her. Death claimed
her husband, and again she was a sor-
rowing, weeping widow.
She follows weeping to the grave
she has heard the sad, solemn words /:
| "Dust to dust, and ashes to ashes"-the
earth falls with dull, dreary thud upon
the coffin, as the sexton slowly covers
up all that remains of him whose spirit
has gone before to the other world.
looks around. AS she does so she
meets pair of eyes fixed intently upon
her. She starts-memory rushes back
| fifteen years and brings up the picture
of her first husband. There can be no
mistake-'tis he. The recognition is
mutual. There is a scene; the widow
and wife faints-the bronZed stranger
explains his relation to the woman, and
all repair to the home of her who ten
minutes ago was a widow, but now is
again a wife. Then Mr.. William Clark
inson tells how he was not killed by the
| Indians at the time of that sudden on
slaught on the plains, but was taken
prisoner by the Blackfeet and carried
| far away among their mountain fast
nesses, and during all those long years
had been forced to slave for his cruel
captors.
He had finally escaped, and during
his flight through mountain gulches he
discovered a rich gold deposit. How
he had written back 10 his old friends,
but could get no answer. He then went
back and worked the gold mine which
| he had discovered. He grew rich, and
longed to again visit the home of his
youth and happiness. He had got of
the cars at Pittsburg and taken the
stage to Bowling Green; had hired a
'buss there, and was driving to his old
home, when he overlook the funeral; q
strange impulse induced him to follow
the widows person seemed strangely
familiar, and when she drew aside hel
veil he recognized her as the wife he
had hidden adieu to fifteen years be,
fore, and whom he had thought to be-
dead. They are now living happily to-
gether
Verify, ''truth is stranger than fiction.
I-FindlGy (O.) Courier.