The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1875-03-11

Ap.aee efthsas 49,.
Tmfoil0wing coues ffom a. ocala
Fla.) Baa~: Some years ago there
lived u Virgins beautiful aad accom-
plished young LADY, member Of one Of
the Oldest and bess 1hnili0 & thAt 6tate-
She vas the reignfng belle h the society
In which she moved. In the course Of
time she married young lawyer Of the
highest respectability, both Is regards
talents and family connections In due
time fhsy hsd son born 70 them They
were very happy.
The LAWYER in the course of his bust
ness operations became In some way or
another eutaugied n . quarrel with .
brother lawyer A duel was the result.
In the contest the husband WAS killed.
The wife became inconsolable. A severe
fit of sickness followed When she re-
covered the only thing to lavish the
whole Affection of her heart upon was her
son. Her entire attention was given TO
him.
After q year or two she was surround
ed by an immense number of admirers
and several made proposals of marriage.
She declined them oil. Her heart was
true to her first and only love- At last
many of her admirers importuned her to
marry them-offering her fortune, sta
ton, everything that would be likely to
win woman's heaxt-but all of no avail
She replied TO them that she could not
give them her hand without her affection
her heart was with the buried dead.
The widow found these approaches
were made to her so often and earnestly
that she withdrew herself from society
IS the only means of obtaining any
thing like quietness; but even then let
tiers would annoy her. So she deter
mined to get out of the way of society
entirely, and seclude herself in some re-
tired spot. She did not care where she
went if she could only obtain quietness
and enjoy the pleasure of training and
cultiva,ing her boys mind and have his
exclusive society. He was noble little
fellow.
Well, after looking about for . place
where absolute seclusion could be OBJ
tanned and be unknown, and the climate
would be congenial, she determined upon
Florida SO she removed to . retired
spot about q mile or two from Ocala,
where she found small hut already
built and suited to her requirements.
She purchased it, and there lived for
some time, when, unhappily, her boy was
taken sick and died, and was buried
near her house. She planted an acorn
near by that was found after death in
his pocket. II has now grown to be a
large tree.
Alone in the world. without a single
soul TO converse with, she frettcd and
pinned her life away, her only consolation
being in her communings with her Maker
She prayed for peace and obtained it.
| She had no domestic servant to wait
upon her, but cooked her own meals,
/ etc.
Occasionally she would see persons ap-
proach her little home, and, not wishing
to be seen, would retire to a small cave
near by, where she could watch the
movements Of strangers until they were
gone, when she would come ont and take
possession Of her shanty.
| One day she walked into Ocala for the
purpose of obtaining some medicine at
the drug store. She was closely hooded
and disguised There was a gentleman
in the town, however, whom she recog-
nized as an old sutton. She Immediately
left, and was lost to sight quickly. The
gentleman saw the eyes, he thought he
knew them-their influence in the past
had kept him awake many a night. He
was at first staggered with the thought
that it might be her-indeed, he was al
most paralyzed, for he was still single,
and remained SO for her sake. When he
recovered his senses sufficiently to know
what he was about he turned into the
street to look for her, but she was gone
and no one could tell him anything about
her or in what direction she had gone.
He searched the country all around, but
his efforts were fruitless. At last be had
to give up the pursuit. He was very un-
happy.
Well, the lady lived for many years af-
terward, still staying at the same place.
At last she found that her health was
giving way; that the hardships she had
to undcrgo-liylng in SO wild and rude a
condition-necessitated her making a
confidant of somebody so as to obtain
help. She called in the assistance of an
honest, quiet colored woman-Aunt
Polly Fudge-who helped her to some
comforts and did chores for her. At
last she became sick and confined to her
bed. Polly faithfully nursed her, and at
length the lady died.
She told Polly her history, suppressing
her real name, and told her to get her
buried IN the grave beside her darling
boy, under the oak tree she had planted
near the cave, and that she was to be
buried in her wedding-dress-a beautiful
white satin one-and on her head the
wreath that she wore on the occasion of
her marriage. Faithful Polly attended
to matters as she was told, and Mrs.
Neville-for that was the name the lady
called herself-gave to Polly al her
money, which was 800, and old clothes.
50 rests within mile or two of Ocala,
in one Of the hammocks, the last mortal
remains of the poor, broken-hearted
widow. The relatives and friends win
never know her end or her bnrial-place.
So I've point moral and adorn a
tale"
The Estimate of a California Wife.
HE following unique card appeared