Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1877-02-28
A ROMANCE.

now being talked of and is creating
no uncomfortable excitement among
people in the suburbs of this city.
The story is current that some two
or three years ago young couple
living near this city were married,
and in the regular course of time q
child was born to them. They lived
happily together in the mean time
until last fall, when q separation oc-
Cured from most ridiculous cause.
A sister of the husband was visiting
her brother and his wife at their
home, and for q time the. visit was
pleasant, but in an evil hour the
husband, the careless husband, in
passing behind a stove accidentally
kicked over crock of cream, splitting
it on the floor. Hot words followed
which were INDUCED in by all three,
the brother and sister taking sides
together. The wife in fit of anger
picked up her buds, remarking to her
husband that If he preferred to live
with his sister, he could do so, that
she "was going home"
The husband let her go without
making an effort to detain her, and
last fall published a notice in the
COURIER warning all people against
trusting. her on his account. The
house was shut up and each went o
separate way. In time q struggle
took place for possession of the babe
which had grown to prattling,
sweet little child. They appealed to
the law, and writ of habeas corpus
was sworn out and the baby given to
the mother.
A day or two since the husband
and father made his second appear
ance in the COURIER Office, and be-
tween great sobs, affected or 9TH
er wise, but which seemingly came
from the heart, informed the writer
Of this that his little boy was dead.
We had forgotten the man and
probably would never have thought
Of the circumstance again, had he
not brought to mind the publication
of last fall. In reply to the question
as to the cause of the death of the
child, he remarked that he did not
know, that he had not been permit
ted to see it by its mother. The
notice of the death of the child was
written and published the same as
any other notice of the kind, and in
time that circumstance too passed
out of mind.
Yesterday in making our rounds
about the city friend called our at
tention to rumors in circulation in
the suburbs Of the city, reciting case
of unparalleled cruelty as he related
it.
The parties to the transaction were
the happy married people of two or
three years ago and the prattling in
FAINT the victim.
From parties who seem to be ac-
qeainted with the facts, we learn that
three or four weeks ago the father
visited the place where the mother
was residing, and in an unguardcd
moment went into the house and stole
the sleeping child from its cradle and
started off with it. The mother and
other people about the house missed
the child, and divining the cause
started in pursuit, but owing to the
start he had and the nature of his
pursuers, the man had no difficulty
in keeping out of their way, but the
child, which was clothed in ordinary
clothing, from cold, or rough hand
ling, beganto cry. The captor, think
ing perhaps, that the child was get
ting cold, laid it down on the ground,
pulled off his over coat, in which he
wrapped il up as best he could and
made his way to his abiding place.
He soon tired Of his prize, as the child
could not be quieted, and after con-
sidering the matter carefully, he con.
cludcd to return it, which he did. In
the trip it is claimed the child tool
cold, from which it died. The objec
of contention was buried a few day
ago, in the city cemetery, and un
doubtedly was, if the truth has beer
told, hurried to its grave by inexcus
able cruelty.
MoRAL.-If you accidentally kick
over the cream pot don't quarrel
about II.