Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-09-15

the Toledo cohioJ Blade.l

A remarkable incident Of generous
self-sacrifice has just been narrated TO
US by an old resident in the southern
part of this county, and we publish it
here, giving the facts as nearly as they
can be reproduced from memoranda
taken at the time. The narrator, hav-
ing received the money of the unfortu-
nate gentleman in trust for the children
of his wife, wa one Of the few who was
even aware Of the circumstances a.
they really were, and the recent death
of the lady in question has removed the
seal which has hitherto prevented the
publication Of the story.
Nearly eighteen years ago a young
man named P purchased a small
farm in the location alluded TO, and
married the daughter Of a neighbOring
farmer. They had one child, and for
several years in the eventful round Of
daily duties lived a life of happiness.
But, unfortunately for himself and fam
ily, the spirit OF gain took possession OF
his soul, and he gradually became pos
sessed of LII inOrdinate craving for
wealth. He became dissatisfied with
the small but steady profits accommodating
from his farm, and began 10 indulge in
speculations Of various kinds, in which
ct first he proved quite successful. On
one occasion his business took him to
! Philadelphia, and he went with quite a
large sum Of money in his possession,
which he had borrowed to aid him in
prosecuting the speeulatiOns in which he
was engaged. He was TO return in three
weeks, but that elapsed and he did not
make his appearance. The three weeks
heightened into four, then five; months
elapsed, and still no news of him reached
! the afflicted family. A year passed by,
and, as 10 tidings came, he was given
up for dead. His creditors, who had
from time to time deferred the presenta-
ton Of their claims, till something more
definite could be learned, now pressed
in, the little home was sold, and the
fOrlOrn woman with her infant son was
turned out upon the world. Though no
word came to this more than widow, she
could not relinquish all hope. Many Of
fers of marriage were made to her, but
she refused them all, believing that her
husband would return. In vain it was
urged that the large suIas Of money in
his possession had tempted the ruftians
that infest the large cities, and that he
had, in all probability, been murdered,
in vain her friends reiterated that, if liv-
ing, he would certainly have communi-
Gated with her in some hammer His
well-knOwn integrity rendered it i'm
probable that he had absconded simply
for the money in his possession, and all
! save his wife believed that he had been
foulIy dealt with.
After the lapse of nine years, which
rolled their weary weight over her head
without bringing any tidings of the
missing man, avery wealthy gentleman
in the vicinity offered herhis hand. Her
parents and friends urged her to accept
it, if only for the sake of her fatherless
child, and finally she gave a reluctant
consent and was married.
One winters night, nearly six years
after the marriage, the family were
seated about the fire when the eldest boy
was sent into the yard for wood. He
came in evidently much excited, and
said that he had seen a strange man
looking about the house. The father
made an effort to quiet him, but paid no
further attention to the matter, supp0s-
ing it was merely a boyish fright.
The next morning, however, strange
rumOrs were current in the neigh
borhoOd. One man had been stopped
the day previous by a stranger, who
ing in that locality. In reply to his
1NhEotAbAA II 6AAdht6CI Nd5 AnNOAn AC0 VI
Mrs. P-'s marriage and her present
residence. The stranger had at once
started in that direction, and his inform
ant, thought it almost dark, fully be-
Iieved it to be P-himself, though it
had been fifteen years since he had been
seen inthat vicinity. His former wife
was greatly agitated when this story
was told her, but her husband, though
troubled, tried to satisfy himself that
his neighbor was mistaken.
Three years more rolled by and moth
ing was heard of P, till on one dis
NAL April morning his former wife re-
ceived a telegram, brought by special
messenger from the nearest station, urg-
ing her to come at once to Newcastle,
Pennsylvania, if she would see her
rightful husband alive. Greatly shocked
and startled by this message from one
who seemed to her to be long dead, she
and her second husband started at once. |
They found P without difficulty, but
stretched upon a bed Of sickness and
sadly wasted by the cravings Of dis
ease.
In q feeble and broken voice, and lit
tie by little as his strength would permit
him, he told them his story. .On arriv-
ing at Philadelphia he had found that
his most promising enterprise was q fail
ure; all that he had was lost. An offer
to join a company just fitting out a ship
for the West Indies came OPPORTUNITY, |
as he thought, and, in the hope Of re-
trieving his fortunes, he embarked IN
the project what little money he had in
his possession, and went out to recover 1
his loss. He had written to his wife
before sailing, but the letter never
reached its destination. The adventure
proved disastrous, the vessel was
wrecked on one Of the islands, and our
adventurer barely escaped with his life.
At this stage he determined not to re-
turn home until he had accumulated q
fortune. and, half CTaZed with his afflic-
tions, shipped as a common sailor to
England. From that country he. went
to Brazil, and in the course Of his sue
ceediDg wanderings visited nearly every
country on the face Of the globe, and at
the end of fifteen years he had aecumu-
lated a reasonable competence, and had
determined to return home. He had
resolved never to make himself known
to his wife if he could discover that she
was well cared for. He found that his
wife had long mOurned him as dead, but
that she had fOrmednew ties and attach
ments which he firmly resolved never to
break. Severe and painful as was the
sacrifice, he could not turn himself away
without last look upon the face Of her
whom he had loved so long. He had
fingered about the house on the night of
his return, as affirmed by bis own son,
and having gained his object he de-
parted never to return. Broken-hearted,
be had sought a home in Newcastle
under an assumed name, and here he
had lived till, convinced that hehad not
long to live, he sent for his wife that he
might make his peace with her before he
died. The next day he died peacefully
in the arms of his Iong-lost wife. By
his viii his entire property vas divided
among his children.