The daily gazette., 1878-07-12
Elites Two Husbands
BY A. f. L.


these:
Five years ago he had married, and
the first few months of his welded life
promised well for his future. He was
certainly happier man than he had
ever been before. But presently the
shadow that might with considerable
confidence have been expected by all
who intimately knew him, fell upon his
threshold. That shadow was drink.
For five years his wife, Ellie Gleim
had seen him drifting down in the slough
of fintemperance until she could endure
no morel
Over and over again, month after
month, year after year, she endured all,
forgave all, took and retook him back to
her love with charity and fidelity
which seemed incapable of wearing out.
All was suffered between them that two
such natures could suffer.
At last, in one wild moment, madden
ed with despair of the future, enervated
by long and lonely watch over her hus-
band in one of his attacks of mania a DO
tu, she applied for divorce.
But when the divorce was finally
granted, and she looked for the last time
upon the face ofthe miserable being for
whom she had uncomplainly endured so
mnch, her strength broke down at once,
and there ensued scene between them,
the marks of which both bore in their
spirits down to the end of life. The love
between them remained. There could
be no doubt about that.
Torn with an agony for which langu-
age had no words, Elfie finally tainted in
her husbands arms, from which, in mer-
cy to her, her friends forcbly removed
her while she was still unconcious, leav-
ing HIM prey to remorse profound
enough to turn a stronger brain.
With the last sound of the carriage
wheels that were bearing away the wom-
an who might have been his savior, if
he would have allowed her, Mr.. Gleim
arose, rushed to the nearest tavern and
there drank himself to brutal insensi bill =
ty. 1t was in fact his only resource. But
he had miscalculated, if he imagined El-
fie had done her work so badly as to
leave him to his fate. See loved him as
deeply as ever, though she could not
live with him.
When Gleim recovered consciousness
he found himself under strict hut kindly
espionage in private asylum for the in
sane. There he remained for many
months, slowly being cultured up to the
CHEST point of health. In the course Of
few days he learned that his wife had
taken proper legal means to contine him
ed physically and mentally fit for self
control; but he never learned till near
the close of his life, that it had taken
every cent Of money that that wife had
painfully saved during the years she had
borne with him, and that after leaving
him she was prepared to work her fin
gers TO the bone, if need be, so that shell
ter and refuge might be found for him.
We must pass over a period of eight
years.
In one of the golden days of particu-
larry rich, warm June, a crowded steamer
was plying three days ont between this
country and Europe. Every berth was
taken, but conspicuous among the passen-
gers were gentleman and his wife, who
were evidently making their first trip
abroad. They were apparently happy
couple, about the same age-not more
than two and dthirty-matedin in disposition
and temperament and obviously enjoying
one another's society.
These two stood on the deck one even
ing at sunset, when the attention of the
gentleman directed itself to one of the
passengers, surveying them from the
other side of the vessel. So rapt was his
observation that the gentleman remarked
1t to his wife, who at once bent her glance
in that direction.A AT this the stranger turn
ed and went away ,and a change slight but
perceptible, and well restrained, seemed
to come over the lady. Her companion,
however, made no remark thereon, but
continued conversation on different
topics.
The man, meanwhile, who had attract
ed their attention went down stairs, and
entering his state-room closed the door
Then fumbling in his breast, he drew
forth a miniature upon which, by the
Horh nf hn al tutnfr mt or
through the open port hole, he gazed
long and earnestly.
His ewes grew moist, his mouth tender
and his hands trembled.
"To think that we should have met
thus" he said, in voice that shood with
emotion, "thus, after eight long years
years of happiness perchance to her, of
wretchedness to me. And she married
again, too! All me, what l have lost |!
what have lostp
He laid the miniature on the counter
pane of the upper berth, and folding his
arm upon the edge, stood with his chin
resting on them, gazing out into the dim
lit sea.
Sleep sank down upon almost every in;
mate of the ship. Midnight came, and
with it came dense haze which shut
out moon and stars, and concealed the
danger up to which the good vessel IA
tally glided. Up to twelve o'clock the
bells struck as usual, and the watch cried
out in a voice of mellow ruggedness,
"Alps wellp
Suddenly, without moments warn
ing, the noble vessel shook from stem to
stern, as strong man might when struck
by giant. In another moment the pas
sengers in their night dresses came rum
ming from their berths, and terrible
scene ensued.
Death in the form of an iceberg had
struck the vessel, nearly cleavlng her in
twain, and it was impossible to count the
moments before whose expiration she
would go down.
All was done in that brief interval
which men, energized with dispair and
working with audacity and strength of
tiends, could accomplish. The boats were
and filled, and it was supposed
that every soul on board was rescued,
when suddenly piercing scream arose,
and by the red light streaming high over
the side of the vessel, the forms of a man
and a woman might be seen clinging to
the bulwarks. Thel passengers in the
over-crowded boats looked up and muir
INJURED.
"Save the woman! Save the woman ~
shouted some of the men. "There is
only room for one more here. Two would
capsize u.s."
AT that moment the man whom we
have mentioned as having SO closely OBJ
= ln1 al ntt IA