The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1871-08-17
A Second Husband Gives up his Wife and
Three Children.

The assertion that ''truth is stranger than fc-
tsonn is certainly illustrated in the following
sketch, and VIC are indebted to j. @. Ryan, the
clerk of the steamer st. Luke, for the princi-
pal items:
During the first year of the war, J. NJ.
Waldrup left his pleasant home in Central
Missouri and shouldered his mrsket to fight for
what he considered right, and to spill his blood,
if necessary, in defence of the Confederate
cause At home he left young wife and one
child, and from that time till last Sunday they
never even heard from him. Mr.. Waldrup
passed through the struggle safely, and was
paroled in St. Louis in 1865. So soon as he
could earn money enough he started to find his
wife and child. He visited his old home, and
called on his neighbors. But his search was
unsuccessful. The only information he re-
ceived was that his wife had taken the child
and gone to live with some relatives in Gala
way County. Visiting Galloway County he
obtained work on farm, and settled down to
ponder over the whereabouts of his wife and
child. and to;earn money enough to continue
the search. In the meantime Mrs. Waldrup
had heard that her husband was dead, and had
gone to live with some relation near Cedar
City, opposite Jefferson City, Missouri. Here
she became acquainted with well-to-do black
smith, whose name we have not learned. In
due time they were married, and last week
were living in their comfortable home at Cedar
City and Mrs. Waldrrp had blessed the black
smith with three fine children, the eldest five
wears old. Last Saturday Mr. Waldrup rode
leisurely into Cedar City, and halting at the
blacksmith shop requested that worthy to shoe
his horse. While conyersing on the heat of
the weather, crops, &C., the blacksmith learned
Waldrup's story. and having heard his wife
tell about her lost husband, surmised the truth,
and in his blunt honesty invited Mr.. Waidrup
to 20 over to the house with him. The recog-
nition was mutual, and the wife tainted in her
6rst husbands arms. After the first agitation
Mr.. lWaldrup went back to the blacksmith
shop, and the men talked the matter over SEN
sibly and ccolly, and agreed to allow the wo-
man to decide as to which man she would cling.
After pondering the matter over in her own
mind the doubly-mated lady decided to go with
her first husband, on condition that the second
allow her to take the children. BY someI pro-
cess of reasoning, inexplicable to US, he decided
to give up wife and children, and Mr.. and Mrs.
Waldrup decided to come to st. Louis. Yester-
day the st. Luke stopped at the landing, and
Mr. w. came on board and engaged passage for
himself and three children, and the blacksmith
assisted his wife on board, and then brought on
the children. Then came an affecting scene
that brought tears to the eyes of captain, clerks
and passengers. The deserted husband took
first one child and then the other in his arms,
and kissed them passionately, while the tears
rolled down his cheeks. Then he bid goodbye
to his wife, who seemed deeply affected, and
lastly to Mr.. Waldrup. The two men gazed
into each others faces, shook hands long and
earnestly, and then the blacksmith, by strong
effort of will, released the hand of MIR. Wald-
Ygp and walked quickly ashore, never turning
bis face toward tho boat-& Louis Dispatch.