The Portland daily press., 1875-10-30

Western papers of the past three weeks con-
tain the following account of girl named Mary
Walker, claiming to have left home in Maine:
LAWRENCE, Kan, Oct I9.-A startling Sc.
quel TO q matrimonial advertisement has Just
been made public in this city. 1t appears tnat
well-kuown judge, residing at Ottawa, Kan,
some time since, advertised in an eastern paper
for wife. The advertisement was answered
by girl by the name of Mary Walker, residing
somewhere in Maine. The judge is an old
man, and when photographs were exchanged
better looking man than himself. Correspond
ence was kept up, until finally the judge wrote
to the girl that he was sick, and requested her
to come on aud attend him until health was re-
stored, and he would marry her. The too con-
hiding girl consented, and after a long journey.
found herself at the depot at Ottawa, a weak,
helpless girl, far from home and friends and
among strangers She was met by her affi-
anced, the judge, but imagine her surprise,
when, instead of a handsome young man, she
behed an ugly, shutting old person. The
girls young dream, the alluring pictures of
young manhood and a bright home in the far
west, were dissipated OF once. A horrid night
mare seemed to rest upon her. The wealth the
judge pretended to have was nowhere to be
seen, and, instead of going to mansion of ease
and comfort, she was introduced to the apart
ments of poor and unpreteDtious dwelling. A
marriage was soon cOnsummated, but the poor
glrrs nature revOlted at the nuptial bed, and
she would not become wife to the winter-wed
old man. The day following, the girl, not
knowing what to do, applied for divorce.
This was granted, and having spent all her
money, she asked for needle work among the
good ladies' of Ottawa. In this way she sup
ported herself for several weeks. The daugh-
ters and relatives of the judge looked kindly
upon her and advised her to wed the judge and
live with him. But the girls bright dreams
and her love for the shadow the Judge had sent
her came up before her to constantly say Nor
to their repeated solicitations. She brooded
her mind undoubtedly wandered, and in her
loneliness and sadness she hastily packed a
travelling satche and slipped away from Otta-
wa. Having no mouey, the started TO walk to
Lawrence. Poor girl, how different her entrance
aud her exit the former full of hope, the latter
full Of dread and disappointment; the former
full of entcing visions, the latter full of furies,
driving her on and on until rest would be found
in the silence of death. The distance from Ot-
tawa to Lawrence is about % miles, and Mary
Walker could not walk it in one
day. Night coimng on, she rested at do
serted cabin on the road, seeking shelter on the
praries. far from the habitations of 1nen, and
away from the stupid sympathy of strangers
1t the girls reason had not entirely left her;
it she was capable of reasoning and feeling
those alarms which conscious aud timid women
always feel, even in their own quiet and secure
homes at night, what must have been her feel
ings as she crouched from view in that lonely
cabin on the black and desolate prairie? Think
of it ye daughters of happy households; think
OF it ye mothers and wives who cherish your
dear, delightful honest
Mary Walker entered Lawrence unconscious,
probably, of what she was doing She had
walked all the way from Ottawa; she had rest
ed over night in desolate place; she must have
been tired, footsore and hungry. 1t appears
that she wandered about the streets all day, or
Until the middle Of the aftarnnOn when Sha
rung the bell at the residence of one of our
Christian families. When the door was OPEN
please do you want any sewing done here?'
was the simple inquiry of the deranged girl
On being answered that no sewing was requir-
ed, Mary asked:
"Can step into room moment to arrange
my dress?'
The good lady of the house showed the poor
girl into a bed room and returned to her parlor.
lady sent her little daughter to know the rea
son. Imagine the child's surprise to find the
strange girl with nghtgown on, in bed white
as carved statue. The child hurried down
stairs and told the startling story to her moth
er. When the lady of the house appeared at
the bedside, where the strange girl lay, her first
exclamation was,
Who sent you bere?"
'God sent me here!' was the sad, though
truthful reply OF poor, deranged Mary Walker.
oou udu uuuOuulculy ocub utC tucTt, lOr Ill budb
household she received such care as Christian
people give to the unfortunate and afflicted.
Typhoid fever?' said the doctor, when he
answered hurried summons of the good peo-
pie of the household, and Mary Walker raved
about marriage, her home in Maine, about peo-
Pile in Ottawa, the Judge who had deceived her,
and such things as were uppermost in her mind.
She fingered thus four weeks when death came
to her relief and the poor girl was at rest.
Letters were written to the Judge at Ottawa.
I1 49, - l.
with expressions OF sorrow. But they were too
late. Finally, after Msry's death, and when the
grave was dug in the Potter's field in Oak Hill
Cemetery, the Judge made his appearance and
arranged for her proper burial. He paid all
bills, bequeathed all her clothing, which was
forwarded from Ottawa, to the lady who cared
for her in sickr ess, and quietly turned away
The clothing is represented as being very hand
somely made up-undUubtedy made for we'd
ding clothes before she left her home. The
underclothing was handsomely embroidered
and made Of the finest material denoting
wealth and refinement.
"Who is Mary Walker?" the reader will ask.
No one here knows. In her deirium she said
she came from Maine. That is all. But she
was young and handsome Her hair was light
and her eyes were blue. Her complexion was
very fair. There seemed to be nothing of evil
in the girls character, and the physician in at.
tendance says there was nothing about the girl
to indicate falling from chastity.
Who can help weeping over the sad fate of
this poor girl! Trusting and confiding in mans
promises, she travels hundreds of miles, and
meets disappointment and death among stran
gers. Her grave should be marked by mothers
and decorated with flowers by dutiful and obe-
dent daughters, so that the lesson OF Mary
Walkers life may be ever warning to those
who yearn for the romance of marriage and of
life, and who seek for the ful6lment of wifely
duties and responsibilities outside the line that
society and customs have adopted.
If these lines should meet the eye of parents
in Maine, who mourn the continued absence of
a daughter, they can learn all particulars of
the death of Mary Walker by addressing the
city physician in Lawrence. Kansas