The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-09-03
A Strange Story.

There is now living in this city lady
whose life 80 far has been filled with
more real romance than are the most
delicately wrought characters of fiction.
Twenty-Five years ago she was married
to a man who, like herself was in hum.
BILE though respectable life. Their court
ship had been pleasant and, for aught
the lady knew, harmonious and mutu-
ally agreeable. On the day following
the wedding, however, the husband left
home without any apparent reason or
any warning whatever. The wife merely
supposed at the time that business had
called him hence and that he would soon
return. Days, weeks, months, years
passed before she was aware that she
was a deserted and wronged woman.
She heard nothing from him, but could
not entertain the idea that he was dead,
and instinctively believed that she would
again see him. And Just as she became
convinced that she was deserted her
martyrdom began. She was thrown en-
tirely upon her own resources for SUBJ
sistence, and they were simply honest
toll, a living faith in the reward of duty
doing and a great self-sacrificing spirit.
Thus she toiled on, never hearing a
word from her husband for many years,
but still clinging to the strict and self
imposed duty of silent forbearance. One
day, after eight years, she accidentally
met him, but he failed to recognize her.
She did not speak to him, but learned
from others that since his departure he
had led rowing life, and had been into
every State in the Union. Now that
she knew he lived, and yet did nothing
to aid her in the battle of life, her action
toward him. herself and the world
remained unchanged. And Just here
she exhibited to degree her almost
sanity character, for instead Of accept
ing any of the numerous and advanta-
geous offers ofmarriage which she might
have done, she silently did her everyday
work, bearing his name and cherislling
the same affection for him that induced
her to become his wife. There was then
another long time that she neither saw
nor heard from him. But fate seemed to
favor her, and again she met him by ac-
cident. He acted pleased to see her, told
her what he had been doing, that he
was still her husband, but neverreferred
to his strange departure nor offered her
any means of fsupport. Their conversa-
tion was a brief one. and they parted
without enmity. Neither had an idea
of the plans of the other, nor asked to
know. The next that the wife knew Of
ber husband was learned from a news
paper. There she learned that lie had
been arrested for leading Fenian riots in
Canada and was sentenced to be hanged.
A subsequent report informed her that
his sentence was commuted to six years
imprisonment. During those six years
she retained her love for him and clung
to the faith that her constancy would
eI entually be recognized and appreci-
ated. After the man was let out from
the prison cell he again became an ad-
venturer, and again accidentally met his
wife. He then said to her, "What did
you think when you saw nre sentenced
TO be hanged?" She replied, II sup
posed you would be hanged" A short
interview, in which neither learned of
the plans Of the other, was the result of
this meeting. And again he was off.
After several more years they again met,
recognized, but passed by in silence.
Strange rs has been the first act of this
comedy of curious actions, the sequel is
still stranger. Last February the wife
received letter from her erratic hus-
band, in which lie begged for forgive
ness, and asked her to go to Washington
and live with him. He is in the govern
ment employ, and she has consented and
will start for her new home in a short
time.
twenty-five years elapsed between the
day of the wedding and the receipt Of the
letter. During that time she never ceased
to love him, and he never commenced
to love her. Neither ever tried to OBJ
tain divorce. The lady is picture of
health. The man was a fine looking
fellow when he was married, and had
jet black hair. To-day lie is much thin
ner, and his hair is almost white. AS
dream. like and unnatural as all this may
seem, it is asserted to be true by re-
sponsiblc and highly esteemed lady,
whose relations with the wife gave her
the means of knowing the particulars of
this extraordinary romance. .-Malwaukee
Wisconsin.