The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1872-04-19
NUMBER so.
A Life Romance.


Two persons lately sailed from New
York for Europe, whose history is so
strange that, but for proof not to be
gainsaid, il might even be thought im-
cra6ble. No wild romance devised by
the most cunning weaver of sensational
plots can surpass this history for tri-
umph over time, space, and the orIli-
llary rules Of probability. Again pre-
missing that the story is well authen-
ticated, we proceed to tell it.
Nearly twenty years back there lived
in Rio Janerio an English merchant
whose life seemed entirely devoted to
the pursuit of fortune. He had come TO
Brazil poor, and by resolute work and
some luck, acquired competency.
| This done, after many vicissitudes, he
went home for a visit. While at home
he met beautiful orphan girl. She
was lovely in mind rs in person, and the
compassion wrought by her folorn situa-
tiOn in life ripened in our merchants
breast to warmer feeling.
] In brief, as the story writers say, the
pair were married, and returned to-
gether to Brazil. Two children were
born to them, and life glided on for
space like n single summers holiday.
/ Worldly prosperity, too, still attended
the merchant, who from time to time
repeated his visit to England. On one
of these occasions strange rumOrs came
to his ears, prejudicial to his wife. They
were little needed at first, but like the
poison of Iago soon "burned like the
mines of sulphur" By degrees, sus-
picion became Jealous fury, and the wife
was directly accused by her lord of in
| fidelity. The lady being proud and SEN
sitive to fault, Indignantly denied the
charge, challenged her accuser to pro-
duee evidence, and withdrew as much
as possible from his society. The tender
affection of former days now gave place
to Indifference and almost aversion. No
guilt could be fixed on the wife, but some
efforts for reconciliation were coOlly re-
ceived. In time their mutual relations
became unbearable to both. A separa-
tion was agreed upon, an annuity was
settled on the wife, and the day of we'd
ded love that had opened so brightly
ended in darkness and sorrow.
Heartsick and weary of all assOcia-
ti0ns, the merchant wound up his affair:
in Brazil and came to North America
Wandering vaguely about I'm the Wes
he fell i'm with a party of Red Rive
traders and subsequently, did good dea
of business in and about st. Paul. Ii
! that town he made many friends, Will
avoiding close intimacies, and was nota
BILE forhis grave taciturnity and the striC
honor ofall his dealings. He refused in
, variably to mingle in any social pleasure
. whatever, and impressed all who cam
I in contact with him as a man who Ia
! : bored under ineradicable suffering
: Thus years rolled on, and the wife ha
4 married again-the terms of separatiO
= under Brazilian law allowing that stel
!, She, however, forfeited her annuity b
!, it, which proved in the end serioU
misfortune. Her second husband wa
poor, although an educated gentleman
fell into bad health, and died year {
n two after the marriage.
t This left the wife and her two childre
: i'm destitute circumstances, and sh
a scarcely knew where to turn. Sh,
!. then, like her first husband, became n
n uneasy wanderer up and down the eartI
s Led by some mysterious influence sh,
! too, was in ST. Paul. 1t is a surprisin
: statement to make, but there is no dout
5 of the fact, that the couple had met ono
II more, that the old feeling revived, tina
d the lady eOnclusively established Inc
d innocence in the mind of her husband
a that they were married again, and hav
t lived in the utmost felicity together eve
: since. ROchefoucauld says that lov
s rechdHfe is of no value, but here is
: direct case to the contrary, defying a
v likelihood and exploding cynical epl
e grams. With an ample fortune, and, W
+may hope, both wiser for their painful
e experience, the twice-wedded pair hav
II once more started across the sea to settl
e down for the remainder of life in thei
e old home.