Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1875-11-10
ATOUcHlNG STORY.
rAe OrlginaI or ..Ka.s r.ynne

It may be not generally known, yet
1 Il 10 probably true, that the famous
1 novel Of East Lynne" although writ
ten In England, had the groundwork
Of its story in a singular marriage
which took place in this city, the
notice and the attending circumstances
At tho time being copied by almost
every paper In the country. The mat
ter was abont as follows: A Mr.. j.
NJ. clerk in down town house, fell
In love with young lady whose father
Was well-to-do Second street mer-
! chant, and after proper season Of at
4tention tho couple were married.
Both soon found out that they were
not happily mated. and after mar
fffAge Of seven years, during which
time they had three children, two boys
and . girl, they both agreed to part,
the husband applying for a bill Of
| divorce, on the ground OF incompati.
biiity Of temper The divorce was
granted, and the wife went home to
her father, who had through indsrsing
lost his BUSINESS and all his property.
The daughters and his own misfor-
tnnes weighed 30 heavily upon the
fathers mind that during moment Of
mental alienation he took his own life,
leaving his daughter pcnniless, and TO
rough II with the cold charity OF the
world as bt st che could.
The woman, brave little creature,
iffed every way she knew. how To gain
ian honest livelihood; in fact working
Eeo hard giving music lessons and do.
Iing embroidery for her old school
mates that her health gave way, and,
having no money to. pay her hoard,
|4ltsat beg, starve of 60 to the poor.
house. 7AssA sSi
To turn 10 the other side OF tho pic
tnre, the husband after few months
release from tho martial bonds, again
married, and At the lime OF which we
speak had not only the three children
by the first wife, but also in addition
thereto, little two-year old girl by
the second wifo The latter LADY be-
ing i'll, the husband advertised for
nurse and honsekecpcr, which notice
reached the eye of the first wife, and
she In her trouble went 10 the former
partner OF her heart, told him of her
sad condition, and applied for the po-
sition In his household. The husband
knew not what TO sag but after Civ
ing her ample funds for all immediate
wants, asked her TO call again at his
office on tho following morning,
promising to consult hls wife about
the matter in tho meantime.
Promptly as per agreement, wife
No. was on time, as was the hus-
band, and from there they went to
the residence where the two wives had
their last conversation, ending in
their agreement for the fret wife to
come and accept the vacant place,
which she did. seemingly delighted al
having peaceful home over her
head, notwithstanding the very
strange circumstances under which
shelter was given. Necessity de-
manded that the entire past should be
obliterated, aud the new housekeeper
treated as any other help, that she
must care for the children, her own
lofspring-and the other child. the
same as any hired nurse would do
that che must eat at tho sccond table,
to care for her charges. All these
things and even more humanity did
the poor woman show, never by sign, |
word or look exhibiting the least evil |
dence of discomfort. What, however,
must have been tho true feelings OF her
heart, whom seeing another filling the |
place that she had once tried, ss she
thought, 40 hard to fill.
The above is from the files of an old |
Cincinnati paper, but the sequel, 40
told us by one c0nversant with the |
whole facts is stranger than we haye
already narrated. When tho cholera
WAS raging in our city in 1866, the
second wife was taken very i'll with /
1t, and being informed by the phy si-
clan that she could live but few I
hours at most, az she was then In q
collapsed condition, she asked that all |
go out OF the room, excepting her hus-
band and the honsekeeper, when she |
told how much she dreaded leaving
her little child amongst strangers, and |
as dying wife entreated them both to
marry again. The proposition was
strange one, but both promised, and !
In few months af,erward, when the |
second wife had been.dead sufficient |
length Of time not 10 causo remarks, |
the two were again married, brought
together after cruel separation of so
many years, and, we believe, are now
living happily together in a cosy
West End house --Cincinnot Eng