The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-10-02

a curious story comes from st. Louis,
! and one which 10 worth repeating If only
for the instructive lesson which Il teaches
OF human folly, self-will and unhsppineBs.
sixteen years ago gentlemon of 81
Louis, Ipan of weslth and position, who
had once been Mayor Of tho city. had q
dispute with his wife. Up to that time
the E,krried life Of the two had been happy
| and harmonious. On this fatal tlay. how.
ever, the husband asked the wife TO afix
her signature TO conveyance of certain
property of which he had made an ad.
vantageous sale. She refused to Sign for
some reason which she fully stated, and
which is said to, have been connected
with her anxiety to protect the interests
OF Q much loved con. The husband
sought by every means of persuasion and
importantly to change her determination,
but to no purpose. He was stubborn
and resolnte man, and fully bent upon
| accomplishing his end. AT last his
temper got the better OF his discretion
and his love, and he solemly swore that
| unless within given time his wife signed
that deed he would never speak TO her
again on earth. It was terrible oath,
TOR he loved his wife fondly, but he
meant TO keep it. Unfortunately, the
wife also was possessed of strong will
and an obstinate temper, and she declared
that she would not be driven into doing
what her judgment disappoved. If her
refusal was TO be punished by such con.
sequences, so be it! She would be as
silent as he. The husband waited until
the fatal time had passed, and then he
deliberately sealed his lips against the
companion of his life. They did not
eeparate; they were both too proud, too
just, and too considerate of their chill
drens' interest for that; but they never
spoke to each other. They lived in sep.
arate chambers, but they sat at the same
table and trated each other with oil out
ward demonstrations Of respect. When
circumstances made communication be.
tween them absolutely necessary. they
addressed each other through the medium
OF their daughter, and she spoke for both.
80 tho years went on. Over that home.
rich and prosperous in worldly goods,
cloud brooded forever. The daughter
uaed all her influence to effect O. recon.
ci!iation, but her efforts were unavailing.
AND now in the remorseiess irony OF
life, o pitiful result followed. The boy
in whose interest the signature had been
refused grew tired of the gloom which
prevaded his home, and at last he ran
away and disappeared. It was never
known what became of him, but there
were reasons for believing that he filled
one of the nameless graves of the civil
war. Still the storm estrangement went
on. The daughter grow TO womanhood,
and lover sought her hand. She refused
TO leave her father and mother, or to
give up and abandon her sacred Office of
mediator between those unhappily parted
epirlts. AT last her lover agreed to live
in the family mansion, and they were
married. But 8 terrible issue was at
hand, and few days ago the young wife
died very suddenly of o congestive chill.
And 90 the last link that bound the
strangely assorted household together
was snapped, and upon the aged couple
@ dasolation worse than death desceded
with ali the crushing weigh. of re.ri-
tbuion.
~ The story goes on to say that an i'm.
nienHe cortege followed the body f. ae
grave, for the strange history in ich
tho deao woman had figured was veil
known, and many friends mourned over
her tomb. But to tho father and mother,
whose hearts no grief could soften,
End whose obduracy no lapse of time
could overcome, what help could sympn-
thy afford They had made their own
fate, and must abide the issue. Death
has robbed them of all they had to live
for, put Lifo still claims them, and will
not let, them 60. What more terrible
pictures could be painted of human folly
and the desolation which can be worked
by the evil passions of an obstinate
heart?