Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1875-09-25
TOUCHING STORY.


novel of EAST Lynne although written
in England, had the groundwork of its
story in singular marriage, which
took place in this city, the notice and
attending circumstances at the time
being copied by almost every paper in
the country. The matter was about as
follows:
A Mr. j. NJ, a clerk in down town
house, fell in love with a young lady,
whose father was a well to-do Second
street merchant, and after proper sea-
son of attention the couple were mar
ried
Both soon found out that they were
not happily mated, and after a marriage
Of seven years, during which time they
had three children, 1.-TWO boys and a
girl,) they mutually agreed to the bus
band applying for divorce. merely Oh
the ground of incompatiblity of tenn
per. The divorce was granted, and the
wife went home to her father, who had
through iniorsing lost his business and
all his property. The daughters and
his own mistortunes wei ghed so heavily
on the fathers mind that during mo-
ment of mental alienation he took his
own life, leaving his daughter penniless,
and to rough it with the cold charity of
the world as best she could. The wo-
man, brave little creature, tried every
way she knew how to gain an honest
livelihood; in fact working so hard Civ
ing music lessons and doing embroidery
for her old school-mates that her health
gave way, and having no money to pay
her board, must beg, starve, or go to
the poor-hoUse.
To turn to the other side of the pic
ture, the husband, after few months
release from the marital bonds, again
married, and at the time of which we
speak had not only the children by the
first wife, but also in addition thereto
little 2-year old girl by the second wife.
The latter lady being i'll, the husband
advertised for nurse and housekeeper,
which notice reached the eye of the
first wife, and she, in her trouble, went
to the former partner of her heart, told
him of her sad condition and applied
for the position in his household. The
husband knew not what to say-but
alter giving her ample funds for all inl-
mediate wants asked her to call again
at his Office on the following morning,
promising to consult his wife about the
matter in the meantime.
Promptly as per agreement wife No.
was OH time, rs was the husband, and
from there they went to the residence,
where the two wives had their first con
versation ending in their agreement for
the first wife to come and accept the
vacant place, which she did, seemingly
delighted at having peaceful home
over her head, Notwithstanding the very
strange circumstances under which such
shelter was given. Necessity demanded
that the entire past should be obliter-
ated, and the new housekeeper treated
as any other help; that she must care
for the children-her own offspring
and the other child the same as any
hired nurse would do: that she must eat
at the second table to care for her
charges. All these things and even
more humility did the poor woman show,
never by sign, word, or look, exhibiting
the least evidence OF discomfort. What,
however, must have been the true feeling
of her heart, when seeing another fill
ing the place that she had once tried,
as she thought, so hard to fill The
above is from files of III old Cincinnati
paper bat the sequel, as told us by one
conversant with the whole facts, is
stranger than what we have already
narrated When the cholera was rag
ing in our city III 1856 the second wife
was taken very i'll with it, and being
informed by the physician that she
could live but few hours at most, as
shewas then taken in a collapsed con-
dition, she asked that all go out the
room, excepting her husband and the
housekeeper, 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 q strange one,
but both promised, and i'll few months
afterward, when the second wife had
been dead a sufficient length of time
not to cause remarks, the two were
again married, brought together after a
cruel separation Of so many years,
and, we believe, are now living happily
together in cosy West End house.
Cincinnoii Eu1uireJ.