Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1871-12-05
A Missouri EnOch Arden.

The Cincinnati Enquirer publishes this:-
A one armed horseman recently travelling
through Missouri stopped at a blacksmith's
shop to have his horse shod. The smith mo-
ticed the empty sleeve, and asked him II he
lost his arm in the war. He replied, with
sigh, that he did and even more, going on
to relate how he lett home to enlist in the
Southern army, and OF the close OF the war,
in going back, he found that bis wife, who
thought him dead, had moved away, and he
had since been unable 10 obtain trace OF
her. "What is your pameir asked the
blacksmith. When the answer was, ~. III.
MaldTup," he suddenly released the hoot
over which lie had been bending, aud, with
out looking at the ex-soldieT, cried: "Follow
me into the house." and hurriedly led the
way, Amazed as he was at such conduct,
Waldrup mechanically obeyed the unex-
pected bidding, and before he could pause
10 think, was in the presence OF comely
matron about whose sewing chair three bap-
py children were playing She was the
blacksmith's wife, the mother of his little
ones; yet as she rose 10 see whom the smith
had brought in, and caught sight of the
strangers face, one wild shriek proclaimed
the instantaneous recognition, aud sue faint
ell. In the belief that Waldrup was dead,
she had married the blacksmith of Cedar
City in the very year oil tue soldiers parole,
aud could now only confess her dead mis-
take, and call alternately on her husband
and her God Tor pardon.
Alter the first agitation of the singular re-
union had partially subsided, the Two men
returned to the snlithy aud talked the mat
ter over as sensibY and coolly as their respec
i've feeling permitted. Dovoledly hs he
loved the woman, the blacksmith admitted
the others stronger right to her and gener-
olsly consented that she herself should de-
eide between them. Alter long passion OF
tears aud self-leprOach, she elected to go
with him whom she fist loved; but declared
with bitter lamentations, that sue could not
leave her children. The smith raising his
head fiom his breast, on which II had
dropped IN The first despondency of mis- atlic-
liOn eyed her wistfully Tor moment, and
-ttiri1 sffft,, % sDa,t iaNe them my dtar.'
When the steamboat st. Luke stopped a.
tbe landing some hours later, Waldrup wen
on board, with lis still weeping a1d thick
ly yeiied wife and the blacksmith followed
with the children. Tie beats bell rang o
the starting, and tie dread stpelatio was a
hand. The crew, the passengers, the cap
tain-all who Witnessed it-wtre affected Il
tears by the touching scene.
With great drops rolling down his tawn.
cheeks, tue smith kissed tue children one al
Ter another, aud in a choking voice bad
their mother an internal goOd-bye. III
two men gazel wisfullY at each otner's lace
shook hands long and earnestly, and the
the blacksmith, by a strong t tfJrl ol iron will
released the Land OF Waldlup, aud wake
quietly to the shore. lie never turned hi
lace again toward The boat which 200
passed out of sight around merciiul btn
IN the river, but strode on, with head dowI
10 the home WHITTIER the voice of his wi
aud children should welcome him no NOR