Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-01-06
A TROUBLESOME ARRIVAL.
A Wife Puts in an Appearance After
Forty YeBrs' Absence.

Providence Press. Dec, al
A case has recently transpired in
Newport which has given rise to no little
gossip in circles where it has become
known, being the return Of tbs lawfully
welded wife Of a Nan, after an absence
Of forty years, to assert her marital
rights. The story as related is in sub
stance IS follows: Some forty a ago
report says forty-two) a yonng man and
a maiden in that city we're united to each
other in the bonds of wedlock. However
smoothly the course of true love may
have been before the act matrimonial, It
appears to have become strangely ruf1ed
quite soon after, q brief period report
says two or three days., the blooming
bride, the echo Of her marriage VOWS
having scarce died away, in a clandestine
manner and for no cause left him whom
abe bad vowed to love and cherish, and
fed to parts unknown. For two years
nothing was heard from or Of her, when
all at once she presented 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 be was not
in readiness to resume marital relations
with her, when she retorted that he need
give himself no further unessiness on
that score, as she had obtained a divorce.
The husband replied hat be was reioiced
to learn that, as it had saved him the
trouble and expense Of taking measures
to procure q divorce on his own account,
as he had intended doing. The pair
then drifted apart, she disappearing
again from the region, while he resumed
the even tenor Of his way. Feeling that
he was free from the bonds OF matrimony,
and not favoring q life of Single
~blessednesS," be sought ought a fair
towuswonan of his, wooed aud won her,
and for the second time became q married
man. The second matrimonial alliance
was attended with better results than
the first. Children were born to them as
the years rolled on, and, being industrious
and frugal, the pair accumulated a snug
little property; and 3 few years AGO,
being in infrm health, the husband gave
up active employment, and has since
been deriving as much comfort as usually
falls to the lot Of a man under such cir.
cumstances. lie had never heard from
the woman he had formerly called bis
wife since their last interview, aud. ha.
himself entirely free from her.
gave himself 90 further uneasiness con.
corning her. Forty years had elapsed
since that time. What was his astonish.
ment when one day a short time since a
woman rang the door bell, and on being
admitted, introduced herselft to be- house.
hold as the wife Of its head. Here was
a cen Wife No. 2 ives aware Of this
previous marriage, but believed it TO have
been sbrobsted by a decree of divorce.
The husband, too, withstood his claim,
adducing, in support, her " story Of a
divorce related forty years ago. She ad.
mitted having thus informed him, but
claimed that 1t was all a sham, that che
was still his lawful wife, and was here to
claim her rights and privileges under
that head. This is the status Of mat.
ters in this particular household at the
present writing. Where she has kept
herself all these years does not readily
appear, but it is quite too apparent to
the parties concerned that she is here
now, and with a purpose.