The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1880-01-09
A STRANGE STORY,

In the DecefnD Der luiubeF OF the ~
Idntic is told story from true life which
has not many equals Tor oddity in fiction.
As the tale goes, one day a man pretty
well on in years came into the Police
Headquarters. and asked to have the
officers take down a description of his
wife and children, who had disappeared
erOm their home The man told MS
story in such a simple, unaffected way
that he made a deep impression upon
those who heard it. He lived in small
town in Connecticut. and had been mar
ried FIVE or six years to a woman CoH-
sideTaby younger than hImselI, ana bE
whom he had two children. Oh IelutA-
fur from his daily business q few nights
before he fouuH his home deserted; ; wife
and children had evidently gone out,
dressed I'm their best clothes. leaving no
word of explanation. 1t struck him as
being very strange but, although dis
turhed. he was not seriously alarmed,
rs he concluded they must have gone to
friends house. He got his own tea,
and then smoked his pipe, expecting
mumeutaTily to hear them at the door.
7 was late in the evening before his
anxiety drove him ont TO look for them
among the ueighbors. The next day he
learned that they had been seen III the
railway station at the next village. and
That was all ne knew about it. He and
his wife. he said. had got on pretty well
together. He was perhaps too old TO Ee
much society for her. but she never COM
planned Since she bad gone off he re-
uembered that she had been very mel
.gchuIv and mOping for some time past.
He thought that she had sort of dWeit
ON things. hciu' so much alone - that
she had lec1Te ''CraZy-lile,' - and had
.N...a 70
some people in New Hampshire whom
she had known before she WAS married.
But the New Hampshire folks had not
seen her or heard Of her: and some OF
the ueignIOrs said. More like she'd
gone of with Younger man. - But
YOU see said the deserted husband.
THAT ain't likely. as she wOuldn't have
aiken the children If she was that wick
ed Sc The police gave good deal of at
leutiOn to the case. as it was q peculiar
one they lad a feeling of sympathy for
the man who had suffered such terrible
loss. Tie wifeand children were traced
90 q town short distance from Port
land. Ne. There a woman and two little
children. answering in most particulars
30 the description given by the police,
were seen 10y the local statiOn-masteT to
leave a through train and walk off in
the direction of the village. It was
Just ut dusk, and showing heavily at
the time The road led alungth banks
uf q river. Passing ont o. the station
masters sight into the storm, they were
seen no more The inquiries of the
police never got beyond that. Those
who had been at work upon the case
settled down to the belief that the wO-
man had left home during fit OF tenn
pOrary insanity: that the storm she en-
c0uutered on leaving the cars increased
TIE coufusiou in her mind, and that she
Igd either thrown her children and her
self into the river, or had wandered ont
of the road and fallen in with them
one evening, after this conclusion had
been reached, an officer who had work
ed on tho case WAS asked by a young
woman who was visiting 9t his house *
tell au interesting police case. lie tOl,
her the story of the deserted husband
The Young woman afterward marie.
and went to live i'm q Western city
some years passed. when, on meeting
the officer again. she reminded him o
lhe story ne had told her. and asked i
anything had been heard Of the wifi,
and children. He said the case remain
ed rs pl0fo1ud q mystery rs ever.
Vow" she said II viii 90 ON will
the story where you ended The woman
got of the train at B. for the pUT
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