Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1875-09-18
A TOUCHING STORY.


| lFrona the Cincinnati Enquircr.1
1t may be not generally known,
yet it is probably true, that the
famous novel of East Lynne al
though written in England, had
the ground work of its story in a
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 season of atten-
ton the couple were married
| Both soon found out.that they
were not happily mated, and after
a marriage of seven years, during
which time they had three chill
dren, two boys and girl, they
mutually agreed to the husband
applying for a divorce, merely on
the ground of ineompatibility of
temper The divorce was granted,
and the wife went home to her fa-
Their, who had through indorsing
lost his business and all his prop
erty. The daughters and his own
mifortunes weighed so heavily on
the fathers mind that during
moment 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, a brave little creature, tired
every way she knew how to gain
an honest livelihood; in fact work
ing SO hard giving music lessons
and doing embroidery for her old
school 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
picture, the husband, after a few
months release from the marital
bond ], again married, and at the
time Of which we speak had not
only the children by the first wife,
but also in addition thereto a little
2-year old girl by the second wife.
The latter lady being ill, the hus-
band advertised for nurse and
housekeeper which notice reached
The eye o. 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
thus band knew not what to say -
but after giving her ample funds
| for all immediate wants asked her
to call again at his Office on the fol-
lowing morning promising to con-
suit his wife about the matter in
the 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 first conversation ending
in their agreement for the first
wife to come and accept the vacant
place, which she did, seemingly
delighted at having a peaceful
home over her head, notWithstand-
ing the very strange eli: cumstances
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 off-spring-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 wo-
man show, never by sign, word,
or look, exhibiting the least evil
dence OF discomfort. What, how
ever, must have been the true feel
ings of her heart, when seeing
another filling the place that she
had once tried, as she thought, so
hard to fill! The above is from the
| files Of an old Cincinnati paper but
the sequel, as told us by one con-
versant with the whole facts, is
stranger than what we have al
ready narrated. When the cholera
was raging in our city in 1866 the
second wife was taken very i'll
with it, and being informed by
the physician that she could live
but a few hours at most, rs she was
then in q collapsed condition, she
asked that all go out the room, ex-
cepting her husband and the
housekeeper, when she told how
much she dreaded leaving her ill
tie child amongst strangers, and
as dying wife entreated them
both to marry again. The propo-
sition was strange one, but both
promised, and in few months af-
terward, when the second wife
had been dead sufficient length
of time not to cause remarks, the