Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1870-05-10
Sketch of Mrs. a. D. Richardson.

Sketch Of Mrs. a. ID. Richardson.
The following sketch of Mrs. Rich
ardson is from the Now York Star,
the correctness of which is Endorsed
by the Newark Courier: Mf
ABBY Marie Sage was the maiden
name Of Mrs. Richardson Mcfarland.
Her experience has been checkered
almost from the beginning, and the
struggles of life are not unfamiliar to
her. She was born in New Hamp-
shire, and at an early age went to
Boston with her father and. family.
At the age Of fifteen or sixteen she
taught school in New Haven-a fact
which speaks favorably of her men
tai culture, long before her marriage
with Mcfarland.
When she had attained the age of
nineteen years, an inexperienced girl,
she married Daniel Mcfarland. Her
future husband had represented him.
self as being man of property, and
stated that he owned lands in the
West. After the marriage she
moved with her husband to Madison,
Wis.
After the marriage came the
discovery that Mr.. Netherlands
Western lands were valueless. The
presence of poverty went out with
the newly married pair to their new
home, and they removed to New
York, whore the struggles for liveli-
hood commenced, and going from
clearinghouse to clearinghouse,
and living from hand to mouth, Mrs.
Mcfarland struggled with want, Mr..
Mcfarland meanwhile being always
involved in financial troubles.
Mrs. Netherlands domestic life was
not always of the happiest. How
far the lack of the comforts which
tend to make existence pleasant had
to do with this, those who have un-
dergone similar penalties will best
understand. Six months after mar
riage, necessity compelling, her watch
and jewelry were pawned to meet
pressing emergencies. And it was
in such days Of adversity that, while
on the eve Of confneme Mt, she twice
sought her fathers homo, and two
children were born under the pater-
nal roof. The children Of this I'M
happy marriage were three in num-
Der. One, little daughter, died in
her second year. The others, now
living are Danny, aged six, who is
still with his mother, and Percy, aged
ten, whose bright face and winsome
ways are familiar TO those who at
ted the Court before which his father
is arraigned for his life.
The declaration tuat Mrs MeFar-
land is indebted 20 her husband for
her mental culture does not seem 70
be- borne ont by The FACTS Of the case.
She wrote well, both il prose and
verse, from her earliest girlhood, and
81 time of her marriage was 10 way
inferior to her husband, If indeed she
was not his superior. Her habits of
OF thought, her reading, and her self
instruction which resulted from her
advocation of teaching, left no void
in her mind that Mr. Mcfarland was
capable of filling. She has been a
contributor for years TO the RiUerSidt
Magazine, the Independent, Tribune
atlantic MONTHLY. Little Corporal OIL
Chicago, Round Table, and other pa.
pers and magazines.
In the course of time her ability as
serted itself in another way thar
through the pen. For years she
gave poetic readings to support her.
self, husband and family, and at last
obtained an engagement at the Win.
ter Garden Theatre. 1t was while
filing this engagement, two years
ago, that Mr.. Richardson was first
shot and wounded by Mr. Mcfarland
he having accompanied Mrs. McFar
land home from the theatre. After
that event she went to her father
home in Charleston, Mass, ther
spent the summer in New York will
her friends, and afterwards resided
in Indianapolis eighteen months, un
til she obtained q divorce from Mr.
Mcfarland.
One who knows her we'll has thus
described her personnel and traits
She is about 80; of medium size
round and symmetrical in figure
has blue eyes, auburn hair, light com
plexion, girlish and English looking
(called pretty; has a sweet, ricf
voice; talks fiuently and eloquently
is extremely modest and retiring
wholly domestic in her tastes; hal
little fondness for society, and ha
led the life almost of recluse.