The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1878-04-26
Yhe Fortune of Uar.
WOMAN MARRIED TO THE NAN WHO
HANGED HER FIRST LOVE.

HANGED HER FIRST LOVE.
The SedaIia Mo- Baz0d of a recent date
saws: 4 Baz0o reporter yesterday met a
gentleman from Joplin, who gave him the
particulars of one Of the most remarkable
divorce cases of which we have ever heard.
The following is the story
4 lady sned for divorce in Joplin recently,
and when it came up I be Startling developments
OF which write were brought to light, aud
{ upon their strength il was granted.
In 1868, the lady. then a yOurC and handsome
maiden, resident OF stone cnHnty- southwest
Missouri. married a worthy young man, TO
: whom she had long been engaged. Their union
was happy one ana as Ooth had been reared
iu the vicinity and were beloved and respected
by all, they received the kindcst benisOns OI all
. who knew them.
But the war was raging around them. and
, their locality was alternately occupied by cacn
OF the contenulHe armits. draft was about
to be made and the young husband, a month
after his marriage, concluded 10 take advantage
/ OF the Governments liberal offers and enlist,
rather than run the risk OF being forced into
! its ranks without any emolumcnt save the
meagre pay OF a private. 80 he voluntarily
enlisted and became a private in the ranks Of
His courage and intelligence soon gained the
] respect of bis Cfhcers and fellCwmcu. and in
several hard-foughJ baItles he distinguishes
ElmSeli 10 stlch an extent amt his name was
{ forwarded 10 the department headquarters IN
St Louis, and IL a short time returned embia-
zoued in second lieuteuant's commission
The regiment was then stationed in Northern
ne was so near 10 all he held fear for a son was
( born to1im in his ahsencel. he could NOT resist
sence and visit his wife and child
The boon was easily obtained, and with his
comInissiOu IN his pocket he mounted his horse
and started Tor home. At length the welI-re-
membered landmarks came to view.
He was close 10 home.
\ few hundred yards Of the leafy forest. and
he would be in the opening where he could see
the smoke from the cot that contained his
HOwshe would surprise them!
How his wife would cry for foy
How his bright-eyed babe would
Ha!t J! came the order in stenrorian tones.
from the bush that surrounded the road Ere
ne c9uIa rem IN MS horse IN obedience to ;he
dread summons be WAS, as II by magic. sur
armed men, whom his practiced eve told him
were the most unreleuiug foes that the uni
form he wore ever had, His heart sank within
/ him, brave as be was. for he kuew there YVES no
mercy in the breast OF a bushwackcr. for such
Z few questions were put to him bv the lead
er OF the band, but they were more for fern .
Ihute answer Lon all they wished 10 know, while
from his pockets which rapidly turned inside,
out, was :he commission drawn forth which
made them more eager for his blood
The leader of the band was a man near bfs
owG age, and TO him he appealed and demanded
% Iiilt ne be treated as prisoner OF war. His
request was treated with deriSon, and . mo-
ment more bis legs were pinioncd, and an
@ @HliIIl'Ots rope WIN moose at Its end dangled
from the limb OF an adjacent free. again hp
them TO let him see his wife and child bur for q
moment before he died. But even "a he sun
plicated the leader put the fatal Hoop around
r me- uech, gave signal WIN bis htnc, aud the
untortn1aIe man was swung of into eternity
(
phan child upon his lips.
The next day the corpse was discovered
! swayinF in the wind by passing soldier who,
stopping at the next house (Which happened TO
be the home Of the ofiicer), told The oman that
down the road and il was better, perhaps he
should receives Christian burial. This was MOI
untrequent news in that iocHlity, and nearly
nj! The men being in the army, the sad work N
interIiug the dead and caring for the wounded
devolVed upon the lone women, And faithful-
y was II done, too, for they knew not but their
% p%n loved ones were being cared for in smi-
So the woman procured help OF others of her
sex who lived in the nciThhorhood, anc together
approached the corpse a strange foreboding
passed through the mind Of the woman " no
the suspended form even In the midst of its
unnatural surroundings. The blood rushed
Duck to her heart she neared il. Suddenly
ia its distorted reatnres she brbcid ~ o ti, IL
ments Of her idoiized husband. the father OF
her child, and she swOOncG away in a dead fafnt
! upon The ground at the feet OF him who in life
Ten years had passed. And though time had
him who had been the husband OF her youth
was stiil faithful. Her child had become a
youth and needed the stern restraining hand
and experienced counsel Of Il father she, too.
weak lone woman, was tired OF Fighting the
battle of life and Welded 10 the siInUiir5tioT,s
OF a man who bore good character. They
were married and heir lives blended into hap
py, even tenor of connubial existence. He
tuther 10 her son and honest, industrious
hread-winner Tor them all. She loved and re-
spccted him and her future seemed 70 her fun
recompcnse for the weary past.
One day not long siHcg--ini il was an evil day
an old acquaintance visited hfrn. They had
IN The years agoue been warm friends, tor they
( had fought together under the banners Of the
sunny south ana Oft had shared the sIme blan-
ket as 2arttsaus- YES, gucrrilles- bushw hackers,
II you like.
Right gla9 they were to meet. and the hus-
band received him cordially Cor old times sake,
ana the wife made bin welcome for the sake
OF her husband One night, as they sat around
F TIE ruHcy hearth after the evening meal, the
. Two men talked OF the stirring scenes through
which hey had passed, ard, old soldiers will
/ iOuEht the battles DER again,
W hiic engaged lu dwelling on "Reminiscences
OF the war, the husband remarked hat lee never
knew how strong were the feelings OF affection
I married, and, placing bis heavy hands on his
companion knee, he said, mUurni ally and
earnestly:
John, I have always been sorry that I did
wife and child before we strung him up ten
yc'lrs ago"
His wife heard the remark end slowly rose TO
/ hcT feet. with her tacU white : marble, anG
band lace W ith an expression OF intense bur-
ruT. Twice she essay ed To speak, bEt failed
men. Win a loud UEtartEly, heart broken
scream she fell like a corpse to the floor.
hcn she recovered her consciousness she
huo 4lttie 10 say. The light OF her life had gone
out forever She loved her husband. for he
nad heen GOOD and true and kind 10 her Per-
maps bc was nOg 30 much TO blame that he kill
/ ed her first love. 1t was the fortune or war,
! shc supposed But but-she cOuld live with
J him no longer oh. mol There came u picture
( iron the balls of memory that bade her 20.
And taking her boy she went.
She got her divorce.
KEARNEY, the leader of the aeitators
E and m lists in.