The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1879-09-25
THEY NEVER SPOKE AGAIN.

THEY NEVER SPOKE AGAIN
Romantic Tale Of I've People WI,
Fselishly Tied Up Their Tessues.
81. Louis Timss-Journh.
An estimable lady died in st. Louis ,
few days ago. who has for about sixteer
years figured in one Of the most remark
able cases Of estrangement on record
Her death left her parents without any
means of communication, and this fac
being generally known. brought back t.
the minds OF st. Louisans the circun
stances which eliminated in such .
strange state of affairs. The lady's fl
Their was once Mayor of st. Louis, and
his administration was in the highest
degree creditable to him. He was pros
porous in business, ard accumulated 9
deal of wealth. While in the prime OF
life he married Q widow-a lady of re
finement and excellent qualities Of
heart. Their life was very harnoni-
Gus and happy one till one sad day
about sixteen years ago, when the hus-
band asked the wife to affiX her sigma
ture to q conveyance of certain of his
property, of which he had made an ad-
vantageous sale. She refused to sign
for some reason which she fully stated.
Just what that reason was is known only
to themselves; but those who have been
intimate with the family state that she
regarded her action as protecting the
interest Of q much loved son. The hus-
band coaxed and importuned, but all to
no purpose. He was q man of stubborn
character, and when persuasive means
failed his temper got the better of his
discretion and his love. He solemnly
swore that unless his wife signed that
deed within q certain time he would
never speak to her again on earth. 1t
was terrible oath for man who loved
q woman as he did her, but he meant to
keep it. Unfortunately, the wife was
possessed of will and determination as
strong as his own, although her manner
was always as gentle and ladyhke as
ever graced q woman. She declared
that she would not be forced into doing
that which her judgment condemned,
and If her refusal was to be punished by
such consequences, SO be it. He waited
till the limit he had set had passed, and
then, true to his vow, he sealed his lips
against his life companion. They
did not separate-they were teo
proud. too Just and too regardful of
their children for that; but they guard
ed their tongues with q vigilance which
may be guessed by any one who will for
q moment contemplate the difficulties
involved in such q situation as they
had made for themselves. They roomed
apart, but sat at the same table, and
were never guilty Of any disrespect
toward each other, save that of silence.
When circumstances made communica-
ton between them absolutely necessary
they respectfully addressed their
even though at table, and she
spoke for both. Their questions. SO
put, were always framed in the third
person, and the situation would fire.
quently have been laughable were it not
for the fact that two lives were wrecked
by the stubbornness of which it was the
And SO a cloud settled
down upon that home-rich in every
thing but the peace which passeth all
understanding. The daughter, girl Of
sweet disposition, devoted all her pow
ers to effect q reconciliation, but though
the love of both centered in her, and
grew stronger as they realized how nee
essary she was to their existence, she
could not induce them to forget the
rash vow by which the happiness Of
their lives had been sacrificed for the
paltry consideration OF town lot. The
boy in whose behalf the signature had
been refused soon tired of the gloom
which pervsded his home, and disap-
peared. Whittier he went was never
known, but it is not improbable that he
found q soldiers grave during the civil
war. While her parents grew wrinkled
and gray, with the maintenance OF their
stern resolution and the swift passage
Of years, the girl grew up into a noble
her amiable qualities find
ing all the stronger development from
the exercise Of them, which was incident
to her manner OF life. She won the love
OF man who was worthy OF her-a well
known lawyer-and could he have in
duced her to forsake her home they
would have been married years ago. But
she regarded the duty OF standing ~ Q
mediator between her father and mother
as q sacred one, TO which even her love
must be sacrificed, and she would not
leave home. Her lover remained faith
full to his affection, and finally, rather
than abandon it, he agreed 10 live in the
family mansion, and they were married.
1t was q love match OF the purest kind,
and their happiness was complete, save
30 much a. it was interfered with by the
old folks course. A few days ago the
young wife died very Suddenly Of con-
gestive chill. The history above given
explains what o terrible calamity that
Heath was, 10 three persons, The aged
[ather, whose steps are confirming the
proofs which his gray hairs and growing
give. was in the las. trying TO
Having left no address be-
hind him, kilograms failed TO find him,
md he was only reached finally in .
nook by the Associated
Press. The corpse Vas preserved until
Us return-eight days after her death
md was followed TO the cemetery by an
cortege. What more terrible
picture of desolatiou could be conceived
II than is presented by that home. With
t. lonely aged couple, whose obdurAcy
ixteen years could not melt, and whom
lesth has robbed Of AL tina; they had 70