Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1876-01-13
A Wife's Return After an Absence OF
Forty Years.


A case has recently transpired in New
mort which has given rise to no little Cos
sip i'm circles where il has become known.
icing the return Of the lawfully welded
wife of man after an absence OF forty
years. 10 assert her marital rights. The
story as related is in substance as follows:
Some forty years ago report says forty
twoD young man and maiden In that
city were united to each other in the bonds
of wedlock. However smoothly the course
OF true loge mag have been before the act
matrimonial, it appears 10 have become
strangely ruffied quite soon after, brief
period, report says two or three days.
The blooming bride, the echo OF her mar
rage VOWS having scarce died away, In
cisndestine manner and for no known
cause left him whom she had vowed TO
love and cherish, and fled to parts un.
known. For two years nothing was heard
from or Of her, when all at once she pre-
scented herself TO the astonished gaze OF
her deserted husband The latter, it may
readily be supposed, was not overjoyed to
see her after such unaccountable behavior
on her part. He gave her TO understand
that he was not In readiness TO resume
marital relations with her, when she re-
torted that he need give himself no fur
tl,er uneasiness on that score, as she had
obtained divorce The husband re-
piled that he was rejoiced to learn that,
as II had saved him the trouble and ex-
pcnse OF taking measures TO procure d.
yorce on his own account, rs he had In
tended doing. The pair then drifted
apart, she disappearing again from this
region, while he resumed the even tenor OF
his way Feeling that he was freed from
the bonds OF mairimony and not favoring
LIE of "single blessedness," he sought
out fair townswoman OF his, wooed and
won her, and for the second time became
a married man The second matrimonial
alliance was attended with better results
than the first. Children were born to
them az the years rolled on, and being In.
dustrious and frugal the pair accumulated
a snug little property, and few years
ago, being in infirm health, the husband
gave up active employment and has since
been deriving as much comfort as usually
falls to the lot of man under such cir
cumstances. He had never heard from
the woman whom he had formerly called
his wife since their last interview, and
believing himself enterely free from her
gave himself no further uneasiness con-
ce-ning her. Forty years had elapsed
since that time. What was his astonish-
Blent when one day short time since
woman rang al his door-bell, and on be-
ing admitted introduced herself TO the
household as the wife of its head. Here
was scene Wife No. 2 was aware OF
this previous marriage, but believed il 10
have been abrogated by decree of di-
rha L.,o 10 tIytthaff,f.I hpr
claim, adducing in support her own story
of divorce, related forty years ago. She
admitted having thus informed him, but
claimed that il was all a sham, that she
was still his lawful wife, and was here to
claim her rights and privileges under that
head This is the status of matters in
this particular household at the present
writing. Where she has kept herself all
these years does not readily appear, but
ii is quite too apparent to the parties con
cernca that she is here now, and with
a purpose. -ProDtdeace II. ~ Press,
Dec 81.