The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1871-08-18
from the St. Louis Republican,
An ENoGH ARDEN CASE III mis-
souri,
SECOND HUSBAND GIVES Up
WIFE AND THREE CHILDREN.

I - ''ATN SNi' hAt'i'ft-NH VI i-'' - liiN
WIFE AND THREE CHILDREN.
The assertion that ''truth is
stranger than fiction" is certainly il |
lustrated in the following sketch, |
and we are indebted to j. G. Ryan, |
the agreeable first clerk of the |
steamer st, Luke. Tor the principal
items:
During the first year OF the war,
j. NJ. Waldrup left his pleasant
home in Central Missouri and |
shouldered his musket to fight for
what he considered right, and TO
spill his blood, if necessary, in de-
fS.,-a Of the Confederate cause. At
home he left a young Wire r,..,a
child, and from that time till last |
Sunday they never heard from him.
Mr.. Waldrup passed through the
struggle safely, and was paroled in
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 infor-
nation he received was that his wife
had taken the child and gone to live
with some relatives in Galloway
county.
Visiting Galloway county, he OBJ
tanned 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. OPP
posite Jefferson City, Missouri
Here she became acquainted with. a
well-to-do blacksmith, 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. Wal
drup had blessed the blacksmith
with three fine children, the eldest
FIVE years old.
Last Saturday Mr.. Waldrup rode
leisnreIy into Cedar City, and halt
ing at the blacksmith shop requested
that worthy to shoe his horse
While conversing 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..
Waldrup to go over to the house
with him The recognition was
mutual, and the wife tainted in her
first husbands arms. After the
first agitation Mr.. Waldrup went
back to the blacksmith shop, and
the men talked the matter over SEN
sibly and coolly, and agreed to al
low the woman to decide as to which
man she would cling.
After bordering the matter over
in her own mind the double-m ated
lady decided to 60 with her first
husband on condition that the sec
/ ond allow her to take the children.
By some process of reasoning, in
explicable to US, he decided to give
up wife and children, and Mr.. and
Mrs. Waldrup decided TO come to
| 81. Louis.
i Yesterday the st. Luke stopped
at the landing and Mr.. W. came on
board and engaged passage for him
self 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
hands, and kissed them passionate
ly, while the tears rolled down his
cheeks. Then he babe goodbye to
his wife, who seemed deeply affect
ed, and lastly to Mr.. Waldrup. The
two men gazed into each others
faces, shook hands long and earnest
Iy, and then the blacksmith, by q
strong effort of will, released the
hand Of Mr.. Waldrup and walked
quickly ashore, never turning his
face toward the boat saie