Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-03-22
A SPRINGFIELD LOVE STORY.
A Massachusetts Woman Thrice Mar
rIed-But Only Two Husbands-A
Man who Was More Fortunate than
EnOeh Arden.
From the Springfield Union.

From the Springfield Union.
About fifteen years ago young woman
living in her home in Monson, became pos
sessed with the desire to go West and teach
school. In the town of AnamOSa, Iowa,
she found her vocation, and by and by a
husband. He was the youngest and III
dulged son of a wealthy widow. The hap
DIV couple set out early on the matrimonial
sea, both being only about 10 years of age.
When our heroine wrote TO her father in
MonsOn of her plans, he went on to Iowa
for few months visit, and being pleased
with his daughters prospects, built and
furnished house for her. The mother of
the young husband gave him fine farm,
well stocked and equipped, and no young
couple ever started in life with brighter
prospects.
In short time. however, bad specula-
lions and mismanagement had stripped her
husband of all his property. His pride
was terribly mortified by this turn of af-
fairs, and in sudden desperation he left his
home, his wife and infant daughter, and
enlisted in one of the first regiments which
was raised to put down the rebellion. His
family received a few letters from him, and
then came an uDbrOken silence. In vain
they wrote to him. and then to his officers
and comrades. He was reported among
the missing. The wife or widOw-she
knew not which-at length returned to her
MOnson home, and afterward came to this
city and entered the employ of Tinkham &
Co., proving herself capable and efficient
in the millinery department.
At the end of four or five years she re-
visited her husbands friends in Iowa, and
soon married a gentleman there, having
first for the sake of certainty obtained a
divorce from her long-lOst husband, al
though really supposing herself widow.
In few months after this marriage this
second husband died and the lady again re-
turned to her New England home (twice
widowed, as she supposedly, and soon was
in her old place at Tinkham's.
Some months ago-and this is one of the
strangest incidents in this eventful history
She dreamed that a hack called at her
boarding place and took her to the MaSSa-
soft House, where she met her missing hus-
Land to whom she was again united in
marriage. The dream, of course, made a
deep impression on her mind, but as months
wore away and nothing came of it, she re-
garded it more and more as "Only dream"
But one day, last fall, letter reached the
pOstoffice in AnamOsa, directed to her.
Some one who knew her caused it to be re-
directed to this city. 1t so happened that
she was absent ON visit at the time, and
after remaining in the Springfield poStoffice
awhile it was returned to Iowa. Her
friends there then enclosed it in another
envelope and sent it here again, and it
finally reached her as she was at her work
in Tinkham's store,
TN opening it she nearly tainted. 1t
was from her first husband, from whom or
of whom not a lisp had been heard by his
friends for thirteen years. 1t stated that
he was in the wilds of Texas, following the
hazardous life of TdacherO. He had lett
home with the determination of never re-
turning till he made good his shattered for
tunes. Several times he had SC far redeem
ed this VOW that he was on the point Of
seeking his family and friends, when some
turn of the wheel of fortune had dashed
him back to poverty. At length the tickle
goodness had favored hiya anu ns was rich
again. Whether his wife was living, Rheth-
er she was the mother of another mans
family, and host of ether questions asked,
she fastened to answer.
Other letters were written by both; but
all failed, by reason of hostile Indians,
| faithleSs carriers, etc, of reaching their
destination. But the one assuring him
that his wife was still his own and telling
where she could be found, was enough.
Some time afterward stranger inquired
one afternoon at the Massasoit HOnse if
there was such firm as Tinkham & Co.
| in the city. Being assured on this point,
he called hackman and told him to drive
to their store and bring Mrs. - to the
hotel. She was not at the store, and the
hack driver was DIRECTED to her boarding
place, where he found her, and-the dream
was proved true! The meeting is not FOR
us to describe.
The next evening there was wedding
at the house Of a prominent clergymen Of
this city, and the bride was a woman who
was then married the third time, yet had
but two husbands, and by their side stood
a blooming Miss of fourteen to witness the
marriage of her legitimate father and
mother.