The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1879-05-22
Another Illustration That IS Truth Is
Stranger Than Fiction"

in the arms of civilization there came
to her shores q young man conspicuous
for face and form of rare grace and
beauty. He was witty and fascinating,
energetic, hopeful and Industrious. No
wonder that he was favorite compan-
ion among the gay young men of the
day, and q lion among the few rustic
bellies of that primitive time. As may
naturally be expected, the gentleman
did not remain as he apparently came,
heart whole and fancy free. He soon
laid siege to and captured the heart of
a young representative of one of the
most prominent pioneer families of the
West, and in course of time led his
happy bride to the altar, sanctioned by
the family of the lady, and set sail upon
the unknown sea Of matrimony with
favoring winds and :wooing sunshine.
And so for years and years the matri-
monial bark drifted smoothly along
with only here and there breaker,
now and then q storm, an adverse
wind, such as are "the common fate of
ALL" all safely passed as they sailed
down to anchor peacefully among the
evening shadows of life. Too swiftly
the dark phantoms, as though impa-
tient of their smooth sailing and tardy
coming, rose to meet them and threw
their grim shadows over the slowly,
surely declining sun. The couple had
lovingly and faithfully floated down the
voyage of life together, although no
children had come to brighten their
lives, and of late years the health of the
true, the idolizing wife had been slowly
but surely failing. Nearly forty-one
years of their marriage had sped away,
and who could doubt that with the
morning and the noon passed in serene
and sunny weather, the evening should
also close with cloudless skies. Such
was the outlook, the promise, q. few
short weeks ago, when the shadow rose
that shut out forevermore the light and
life of the fragile. true and loving wife.
Sitting in their quiet home one day. 3
few weeks ago, the husband surprised
his wife by saying, 81 am going to
tell you secret you have never heard
before" There was brief pause
as the lady and near relative who
CHANGED to he present awaited the
disclosure, and the husband continued,
Yes, you will be surprised, M =, to
hear that had another wife before
married YOU" Startled and aghast
the wife clasped her hands in an agony
of suspense, and asked, Am l then
not your lawful wifep' You are my
loved and lawful wife, was the prompt
reply; "my first wife died four years
before 1 came to Dubuque, and met
you, but must go back to the begin
ming and tell you the whole story or
none," and SO, stricken and transfixed.
the wife, supported by her relative. sat
and listened to this strange new chap
ter in her husbands life. He contin-
ued, "Forty-five years ago business
compelled my absence from home, and
during that time q message came to
me that my wife of year and her new
born babe were dead. hurried home
with such limited facilities as could
at that time command, and after bury
ing nv wife, I sought q new life OF
speculation and greater excitement in
the West. and soon found myself in Du-
buuue. With every act of my life here
you are familiar up to some six years
ago, When Twas astonished to receive
a letter from the old nurse of my
former wife. This letter contained
diving confession that astounded me
little less than the revelation I am.
making does you at this time. The
woman wrote that she was upon her
death-bed, and could not rest until she