The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1871-08-22
New Sequel.

A one-armed borseman recently
travelling through Missouri stopped at
a blacksmith shop to have his horse
shod. The smith noticed the empty
sleeve, and asked him if he lost his
arm in the war. He replied, with a
sigh, that he did, and even more, GO
ing on to relate how he had left his
home to enlist in the Southern army
and at the close of the war, in going
back, he found that his wife, who
thought him dead, had moved away,
and he had since been unable to OBJ
tain a trace of her. "What is your
name ?" said the blacksmith. When
the answer was -. M. Waldrup," he
suddenly released the hoof over which
he had been bending, and without
looking at the ex.soldier, cried, Fol.
low me into the house" and hurriedly
led the way. Amazed as he was at
the conduct, Waldrup mechanically
obeyed the unexpected bidding, and
before he could pause to think, was in
the presence of comely matron,
about whose sewing chair three happy
children we're playing. She was the
blacksmith's wife, the mother of his
little ones; yet, as she arose to see
whom tie smith had brought in, and
caught sight of the strange's face, one
wild shrek proclaimed the iDstaneous
recognition, and she tainted. In the
/ belief that Waldrup was dead she had
Z married the blacksmith of Cedar City
in the very year IF the soldiers parole,
and now could only confess her dread
mistake, and call alternately upon
either husband and her God for par.
don. After the first agitation of the
singular reunion had partially subsid-
! ed the two men returned to the smithy
/ and talked the matter over as sensibly
and coolly as their respective feelings
permitted. Devotediy as he loved the
woman, the honest blacksmith admit
ted the others stronger right to her
and generously consented that she her
self should decide between them. AT
ter long passion of tears and self
reproach, she elected to go with whom
she had loved the first; but declared
with bitter lamentations, that she
could not leave her children. Tht
smith raising his head from his breast
on which it had dropped in the frs
dependency of his great affection
eyed her wistfully for a moment, ant
then said, "You shall take them, m,
dear |" "When the steamboat St. LUX,
stopped at the landing, some hour
later, Waldrup went aboard with hi
still weeping and thickly-veiled wife
and the blacksmith followed with tn,
children. The boats bell rang for th
starting, and the dread separation wa
at hand. The crew, the passengers
the captain-all who witnessed it
were affected to tears by the touching
scene. With great drops rolling dowI
his tawny cheeks, the smith kissed hi
children, one after another, and in
choking voice bade their mother al
eternal goodbye. The two men gazet
wistfully into each others faces, shool
hands long and earnestly, and thel
the blacksmith, by strong effort o
iron will, released the hand of Wald
rup and walked quickly to the shore
He never turned his face again towarc
the boat, wnich soon passed out o
sight around a merciful bend of tn,
river, but strobe on, with head boweC
down, to the home whittier the voice
of wife and children should welcom,
him no re.-Sprinafeld Republican