Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-09-12
NO. 218.
From the Toledo (Ohio) Blade, Sept. 3.
AMAN'S SELF.SACRIFICE.

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 repro
duced from memoranda taken at the time.
lhe narrator, having received the money
OF the unfortunate gentleman in trust for
the children OF his wife, was one of the
lew who was even aware of the circum-
stances as they really were, and the re
cent death Of the lady in question has re-
moved the seal which has hitherto prevent.
ed the publication of the story.
Nearly eighteen years ago, young
man named P purchased small farm
in the location alluded to, and married the
daughter OF q neighboring farmer They
had one child, and for several years, in
the eyentful round of daily duties, lived
lie of happiness. But, unfortunately for
himself and family, the spirit Of gain took
possession of his soul, and he gradually
became possessed of an inordinate cray
ing for wealth. He became dissatisfied
with the small but steady profits accumu.
lating from his farm, and began to indulge
in speeulations Of various kinds, in which
at 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 speculations in which he
was engaged.
| He was to return in three weeks, but
that elapsed. and he did not make his ap-
pearance. The three weeks heightened
into four, then into five: months elapsed,
and still no news of him reached his af-
t1icted family. A year passed by, and as
no tidings came he was given up for dead.
His creditors, who had from time to time
deferred the presentation Of their claims,
till something more definite could he
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 offers of marriage were made 10
her, but she refused them all, still firmly
believing that her husband would return.
In vain it was urged that the large sums
OF money in his possession had tempted
the ruffians that infest the large cities,
and that he had in all probability been
murdered; in vain her friends reiterated
that it living he would certainly have
communicated with her in some manner
his we'll 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 foully
dealt with.
After the lapse of nine years, which
rolled their weary weight over her head
without bringing any tidings of the miss
ing man. very wealthy gentleman in the
vicinity offered her his hand. Her pa
rents and friends urged her to accept il
IT only for the sake of her fatherless child
and finally she gave a reluctant consent
and was married.
One Winters night nearly six years af-
ter 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 strange man looking about the
house. The father made an effort to quiet
him, but paid no further attention to the
matter, supposing it was merely boyish
fright. The next morning however,
strange rumors were current in the neigh
borhood. One man had been stopped the
day previous by stranger, who asked
if Mrs. P-was still living in that local
ity. In reply to his question the stranger
was informed OF Mrs. P-'s marriage
and her present residence The stranger
had at once started in that direction, and
his informant. though it was then almost
dark, fully believed it to be P-himself,
though it had been fifteen years since he
had been seen in that vicinity. His for
mer 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 nothing
was heard of P, till on one dismal
April morning his former wife received
telegram, brought by special messenger
from the nearest station, urging her to
come at once to Newcastle, Penn, if she
would see her rightful husband alive
Greatly shocked and startled by this mes
sage from one who seemed to her to be
dead, she and her second husband started
at once. They found P--without diff
Guilty, but streached upon bed of sick
ness and sadly wasted by the cravings of
disease.
In feeble and broken voice, and little
by little as his strength would permit him,
he told his story. On arriving at Phila-
delphia he had found that his most prom
Using enterprise was failure, and all that
he had was lost. An offer to join COM
pany just fitting out ship for the West
Indies, came opportunely as he thought,
and in the hope of retrieving his fortunes
he embarked in the project with what
money he had in his possession. and went
out to recover his loss. He had written to
his wife before sailing. but the letter new
er reached its destination. The adj
venture proved disastrous, the vessel was
twrecked on one of the islands.
AT this stage he determined not to re-
turn home until he had accumulated a for
tune, and half crazed with his Affections,
shipped as a common sailor to England.
From that country he went to Brazil. and
in the course of his succeeding wanderings
visited nearly every country on the face
l of the globe, and at the end OF fifteen
r years he had accumulated reasonable
!. competence, and had determined to re-
: turn home. He had resolved never to
! make himself known to his wife ii he
! could discover that she was well cared for.
/ He found that his wife had long mourned