The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1879-08-22
A MODERN ENOCH ARDEN.

y Denver paper Of recent date tells
the following story of real life, which
should be entitled "The Romance of a
INSTRUCTED Letter.:
With married couple who came out to
Colorado to live some three years ago came
young widow, who without being at all
beautiful, possessed that IN her face and
manner which made her more than attract
i've. Intelligent, and a pleasing conversa-
tionalist, she soon became favorite in Den
yer society, which accepted her into its midst
without asking any questions. \ bout a
year ago she became the wife Of a wel-tO-do
merchant, named Harris, and after her mar
riage her popularity increased rather than
diminished. It now becomes necessary to
60 back tve years to the time when this
same lady became the wife of Captain Sar-
gent. They were married at the Young
lady's home i'm Boston, and soon after the
event her husband was obliged TO take his
vessel out to Calcutta. Not wishing to live
alone during his long absence, Mrs. Sargent
left Boston Just before her husbands de-
parture, and went out to Chicago TO live
with married sister. In due time she re-
cieved a letter from the captain, dated at
Calcutta, saying that he was soon to sail for
Baltimore on the return voyage Shortly
after the receipt of this letter Mrs Sargent
removed with her sister to Colorado, not,
however, until she had written her husband,
telling him of her change of residence, di-
recting the letter to Baltimore to await his
arrival. Months passed, and finally the
young wife wrote to Baltimore, asking if her
husbands vessel had ever arrived, and to
this letter she received a reply that no such
vessel had been in that port. In the course
of another year Mrs. Sargent came to accept
her widOwhOod as a matter of course, and
after time Welded TO the opportunities Of
Mr.. Harris, and became his wife. Captain
Sargent meantime had received orders from
his owners to take on a cargo for another
foreign port instead Of returning to Balti-
more; so it was fully two years before he
returned to this country. He then heard to
his diSmay that his wife had removed from
Chicago, leaving no trace behind her and
after brOOd.mC over his i'll fortune for a few
weeks the discouraged captain again went
to sea After another long absence he re-
turned to Boston, and then il was that he
called upon an old friend Of his wife, and
ascertained that she had removed to ColGra-
do. Sargent determined to G.it the sea for
good, and Immediately started for Denver,
The meeting between the honest captain
and the woman whom he had once called
his wife was dramatic i'm the extreme. The
terrible question which then presented itself
was dlr1lCTtt Of solution. Both men were
honest men of the world. and the only way
out of the dilemma seemed TO be to leave the
question wholly to the lady. 1t was tacitly
understood that, before another day, either
the lady would return to the East with Cap
tain Sargent or that he would return alone
and forever. There were no children TO be
taken into consideration, OF to turn the
balance in eitheT'S favor. The conscientious
lady is said to have shut herself up in her
chamber all night TO decide the question
which so deeply affected three lives. In the
morning she delivered her verdict, and then
broke down, an attack of brain fever being
the result The following dav Captain Sar-
gent sadly departed for the East never to
return.