, 1883-09-01
srOxEwAIL JiCksos's SISTER.
The death Of Jonathan Arnold of tbi

4 n
The death Of Jonathan Arnold of thi,
county, the wealthiest and one of the
most distinguished men OF this State.
which took place last week, has brought
to hight an Interesting and most singular
story, concluding with the healing, before
death, uf All estrangement that had en-
dured for twenty years. Arnold came to
this county from Fayette county, Pa. .,
about sixty years ago, and by jealous ap-
plicatlon 10 business accumulated a snuo
fortune. Just prior to the war he in
vested largely in lands, owning hundreds
OF thousands of acres in this and contipu-
Gus counties, the subsequent appreciation
of which ran his fortune up into the
million row. His third wife, who sur
wives him, is sister Of General ''Stone-
wall" Jackson, and possesses many of
those traits of character SO strongly marked
in her illustrious brother.
In the second year of the war Arnold
made Preparations TO visit his sister in an
adjoining county, which gave rise to a re-
port among the Federals that he was about
to cast in his fortune with the South.
Though he had always kept his own coun-
sells, 1t was known that his sympathy and
affections followed the cause since lost,
and when this move became known he
was arrested by order OF General Latham
and taken to Clarksburg, where, after six
months confinement, he was released on
parole. When the war broke out Mrs.
Arnold, for reasons she never disclosed,
deserted the cause for which her brother
poured out his life and espoused the cause
of the North, remaining firm friend Of
the Union throughout the struggle.
This was known to the husband and
upon his release from prison he returned
home and bitterly upbraided her, accus-
Ing her of having been the cause OF his
arrest. She denied the charge, but he
remained inhexible, and then, her pride
being aroused, she refused further to de-
fend herself. a separation was arranged,
and for twenty years neither man nor
wifc saw the face of the other
1lrs. Arnold retained the family home
in this county till the close OF the war,
when she removed TO Ohio. Friends IN
terps;ed themselves in arranging a recon
citation, but failed utterly, both were OBJ
durate, and Mrs. Arnold never revealed
her motives IN forsaking the cause Cf her
father and brother Ten years ago the
wife entered suit for alimony, and the
husband filed cross suit for divorce.
\ long and tedious litigation followed, in
the course Of which mucNfeeling was en-
gsndered, and the breach widened. The
Court gave the wife an allowance of 5000
per annum, but refused to grant the petit
ton Of Arnold for divorce. At the con
clusion of the suit, Mrs. Arnold took ref
uge in a retreat for the sick in Ohio, while
her husband returned 70 the family man
sion.
Thee weeks ago Mr.. Arnold, then a
decrepit Old man, was stricken down by a
fatal illness His wife came TO his bed
side, and through tWo weeks Of delirium
was an untiriDg watcher and nurse. lie
had never forgiven her, and III his delir-
ium uttered upraiding words which fell
upon the ear OF the patient watcher near
him. The coming Of death cleared his
mind, and one evening he awoke to con-
seriousness and his eyes ahghted upon the
wife he had thrust from him. 1t was a
moment Of terrible suspense to the few
persons in the room. The cid man, IN
feeble voice, desired to be alone with her
Then, in the chamber already darkened
by the approach Of dissolution, recon-
citation took place, and tine excluded
watchers heard sobs from the room, and
entered To find husband aud wife locked
in a last and forgiVing embrace, from
which Mr.. Arnold was released only to
die.
Mr. Arnold vas pronounced atheist,
and died as he had lived. His skepti-
cism vas a continual source Of grief 10 his
wife, who partook Of her mothers strong
religious convictions. -Bere{y, ". Ia,
Letter to Nc,r lork Tribune.