Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1879-05-08
A BROOKLYN SKELETON.
The Secret of an AristOcratic Household
-.EnOch Arden as Tramp.

Chicago Tribune.
In a suit not long ago in the supreme
court Of Brook pm, facts were brought
to view about some persons named in
it of a most strange kind. Close On
thirty years ago cOmely young lady
of this city was welded to a well-t0-do
young man whose business was in New
York. They lived happily together for
some years and had three or four chill
dren. At length the husband died,
having first made a will, by which he
bequethed some $50 600 to his wife,
without laying any charge upon her
not to marry again. Mrs. B., as she
may be called, sold out her dead hus-
bands business and still made her home
in this city. She was very handsome
widow, her weeds becoming her well.
Two or three years went by, and, though
many lovers sought her side, she was
deaf to- their whispers and not to be
won by their promises.
About this time dashing young fell
low made his bow in Brooklyn society,
among the set to which Mrs B. belong
ed. He was well made, had hand
some face, dressed in style, and seemed
to know almost everybody and every
thing. He and the widow met TWAS
a fatal meeting, for she took fancy to
the stranger, and he was not 10th to be
enslaved. They 1irted and made love
TO each other for few weeks, and then
the widow married the man of whom
she knew really nothing, and installed
him as master of herself and home.
Three weeks Of delight followed.
Then the honeymoon and the widows
dream of happiness ended together.
The man whom she had taken to her
heart turned out Il drunkard and an
ider and spent every cent he could lay
hold of for rum. He ran up bills at all
the grog-shOps around, and once and
again his wife paid the score. Then
she put her foot down and vowed she
would do SO no more. The husband
stole her watch, her iewelry. her clothes.
her furniture, and Dawned them for
liquor. He became pest and an eye
sore TO his wife and the neighbOrs. At
last, when he found that his wife would
give HIM no more money, and pay no
more bills, he raised shameful uproar
and struck her. She was going to have
him Gagged, but fOrebOre on his pledging
himself to decamp. She gave him
$500, and lodged $500 more to be paid
to him after he had lived for three
mOIths in San Francisco. Thither he
went, and drew the money after he had
given proof that he had been there for
the time named. Then he passed out
Of sight for months. But not forever,
for from time to time his wife in Brook
Ign received letters from HIM in vari-
Gus parts of the United States asking
for money, which she sent in sums of
SO and $50. She wrote to trustworthy
persons, and found that her husband
was dirty, drunken hideous tramp,
passing from one place to another with
horde of outcasts of the same kind.
Five years passed thus, and the wife
saw nothing of the husband, though she
had letters from him, as already said,
Il good many times. In the mean time
she had joined an uptown Methodist
church, and was one of its strong pill
lars. In the church was a wealthy
widOwer in large way of business on
one OF the chief thoroughfares in the
city, and dwelling in costly home on
the Hill. A warm friendship sprang
up between the two, and before long
the records of New York court show
ed that the lady had got divorce of
some kind from her husband. The
papers were said to be all regular, and
an affidavit stated that the plaintiff had
not seen the defendant for over four
years, or heard anything of his where
abouts. How the thing was fixed can
not be known, but the woman was made
free, and thereupon married the widow
er, already spoken of. The couple
lived together in fine style, ana every
thing Was as lovely as it could be.
For q time it may be safe to add.
Months. and years rolled by. The new
husband, of course, thought the old
husband was out of the way forever.
The wife, perhaps, had her fears about
It. At length, to her great 10y, she got
a letter from a stranger, who wrote
that her husband had died in the writ
er's barn at such time, and that he
had buried him at an expense of $3.50.
The stranger asked that the sum be
sent to him, and 1t was. Then had the
mind of the woman rest, and she pray
ed at meeting with strange fervor and
sang the doxology so that all could hare
her voice away above all the others.
one WAS lOnu OF DSaulllul mowers,
and the garden in front of her home
was always kept with much care. One
Sunday morning In the early summer
she was up betimes gathering the love-
" roses and the sweet violets for bo-
quet to place by the side of her hus-
band on the breakfast table. As she
stopped she became aware that a shadow
had passed between her and the bright
sunshine. She glanced up and saw a
man standing on the sidewalk grasping
the railing, and looking at her almost
fiercely. She gave start, almost d
scream, and stepped back. The figure
moved not. Il was a frightful object
that stood there. The hair was course.
long, and matted, and covered with a
greasy straw hat. The beard was
shaggy and unkempt. The eyes were
red and bleared. Patches of dirt were
on the face. The clothes were ragged
and foul, and the hands like a wild
beasts claws. But in spite of the blood
shot eye and the dirt, and the claws,
and the rags, the half fainting woman