The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-05-03
A YANKEE ARDEN.

A sailor Who Remarked His Wife After
she Had Become widow-A strange
story, Supported by Faet-Truth again
Excelis Fiction.
Harry Rock well, who died in East Hamp
ton last Sunday, in the sSth year oil DIS age
had a singularly adventurous life, parallel
ine in some points the tale told by Tenny-
sou in his poem Of "Enoch Arden" Mr..
Rockwell was born at Warehouse Point.
GA the 10th OF January, 1917, he married
Esther Niles. whose sister was the mother
of Harmanus NJ. WEIGH, of this city. About
two years after Mr.. Rockwell's marriage,
one child having been born to him. he went
TO Savannah, Georgia, to work at carpenter
ing. TIE following spring he returned to
New York and there shipped on board a
vessel bound en- whaling expedition to
the Snu,h Sea or Falkland Islands. The
crew mu,iniei on account Of the captains
brutal treatment. and Mr.. Rockwell and
some Of his cpni,aies deserted. After In
credible suiferibgs they reached an English
man.oi-war, on which they shipped. This
shio was captured by Spanish vessel and
Inc crew were tuinNu iuto Ptisous
they endured severe privati0ns. On his re-
lease he enlisted in the American naval
service. where he remained number 81
years. Later he entered the merchant ma
rne service and made several voyages Ia
Caiua.
During all this period no tidings of MIN
had reached his family, who finally gave
him up as dead. About six years after
leaving home he came into the port OF New
York and learned that his wife had married
again. Without letting her know that he
was still alive he again assumed his { lilor
career and for ten more long years he FOL.
lowed the seas, visiting many lands, expe-
riencing many thrilling adventures and en-
during untold physical and mental suffer
ings. Ia his absence his only child had died,
His wife had married George Evans oi
Chatham, and three children were born to
them. Ia 1881 Mr.. Evans died. -Four years
later Mr.. Rockwell once more arrived
hone. He had been away sixteen yes "'
and was then thirty-nine years old. A sin
gular circumstances was connected with his
return. About week before, his wiies
little girl, belinda, five years old, awo' 9
one morning and amused her mother and
the family with the story of dream she
had had She dreamed that her "other
papa had core home, clad In sailor cos
tune, except that he wore peculiar vest
made Of handsomely figured silk, such as
she had never seen before. On the evening
of July 4, 1895, Mr.. Rockwell knocked NJ
the door of his wite's house and asked for
shelter from an approaching thunderstorm.
The widow asked him in and invited him
TO share their supper. He was still unre-
cognized, but the singular vest he wore at
tracted attention and brought to the re.
membrance of all Helinda's remarkable
dream.
With agiiated voice the widow exclaimed
"You remind me Of the man who was once
my husband ~ Don't you know me, rs.
their" the long-lost husband replied, as
they embraced each other, Explanations
followed and five days later the couple were
reunited In marriage, Three children were
born to them. Mr.. Rockwell once wrote a
lengthy account of his lite and his adver
lures. but the manuscript was lost. His
widow Is still alive, but is rapidly failing,
and will probably not survive her husand
many weeks,-INew Haven Register.