Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1871-08-10
A Second Husband Gives up his
Wife and Three Children.
From the st. Louis Dispatch.

The assertion that truth is stran-
ger than fiction" is certainly illus
trated in the following sketch, and
we are indebted to J.C G. Ryan, the
clerk of the steamer st, Luke, for
the principal items:
During the first year Of the war, j..
M. Waldrup left his pleasant home
in Central Missouri and shouldered
his musket to fight for. what he con-
sidered right, and to spill his blood,
if necessary, in defence Of the Con-
federate cause. At home ne left a
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. L 'uis 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 received was that his
wife had taken the child and gone to
live With some relatives in Callaway
County. Visiting Galloway County.
he obtained work on a farm, and set
tied down to ponder over the where
abouts of his wife and child, and to
earn morey enough to continue the
search. In the meantime Mrs. Wald-
rup had heard that her husband waa
dead, anil had gone to live with some
relation near Cedar City, opposite
Jefferson City, Missouri. Here she
became acquainted with a well-to-do
blacksmith, whose name we have not
learned. In due ime theyy were mar
ried, and last week were living in
their comfortable home at Cedar City.
and Mrs. Waldrup had blessed the
blacksmith With three fine children,
the eldest FIVE years old. Last Sat
urday Mr.. Waldrup rode leisure'y
into Cedar City, and halting 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 invit-
ed Mr.. Waldrup to go over to the
house with him. Therecognition 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 sensibly and
coolly, 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-matedlady decided to. go with
her first husband, On condition that
tie second allow her to take! the chill
dren. By some process of reasoning,
inexplicable to SHE decided to give
up up wife and children, and Mr.. and
Mrs. Waldrup decided to come to St.
Louis. Yesterday the St. Luke stop
ped at the landing, and Mr.. W: came
on; on board and engaged passage for
himself andithree children, and the
blacksmith assisted his wife on board,
and then brought on the children.
Then came an efecting scene that
brought tears 10 the eyes Of captain,
clerks and passengers. The deserted
hnsbandhlok frstone child and then
the other IN his arms, and kissed
them paszionately, while the tears
rolled dc,gnahis & cheeks. Then he
bid goodbye 10 his wife, who seemed
taeeplyaafEscteds and lastly to- Mr..
Maldrup5d iThe. twoyneu. gased into
each other's.faces, shook hands doug
and earnestly, and then the black.
smith, by . strong effort of will; re.