The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-12-12
RRPENTANT MRS. TIMER.
A Romantic Story of a Faithless Wife and
Forsiving Husband.
Honesdale, Pa, Special

A Romantic Story of a Faithless Wife and
ForSiving Husband.
Honesdale, Pa, Special.
A local paper in one of the lower counties
of this State, in its issue of Friday, contains
the announcements OF the deaths on the 9th
inst of A S. Timer, aged forty years. and
Eta V. Timer, aged five years. and the death
on the 9th irst. o. Eliza IT, liner aged thirty
thres years. Beyond the statement that
these were father, mother, and child, the
paper makes no reference to them, although
there is remarkable story connected with
the family.
Mr.. Timer was miller. Seventeen years
ago he married Eliza Gates, the handsome
daughter of Uri Gates, a prosperous
merchant. The two families lived in
the same village, near the Maryland
under the order of her father She loved
George Mills, clerk in her fathers store-a
handsome young Virginian-but old Mr.
Gates was stern man, and desired the we'll
TODD miller to be his son-in-law. Mr.. Timer
had relatives in this county, and brought his
bride on visit to them during their bridal
trip. One week after their return home Mrs.
Timer eloped with George Mills. The run
away pair were followed as far as Wheeling
but there all trace of them was lost.
This was in October, 1867. In 1870 old Mr.
Gates died He had been severely blamed
marry against her will. He left an estate
worth 500 600 and it was bequeathed to his
son-in-law Timer. 1t was provided in the
will, however, that Timer should search for
two years for the missing daughter
and wife. If her. whereabouts was dis
covered and she was living with
George Mills, she was not to receive any
aid from the estate, no matter how needy
she might be. Ii she was apart from Mills
she was to receive 500 for one year. in week
ly installments, but not to know whence the
money came. If at the end of that year she,
without any hint or solicitation on the part
of either of the executors of the will, who
were Timer and H. A. Pool, returned home
repentant and DESTROYS of making amends
for her sin by life Of humility, she was to
be provided with a suitable home and to re-
ceive $40 week out of the estate during her
lifetime. If she did not return under these
circumstances and conditions, she was to be
forever debarred from any claim on the
estate. Timer sought for his wife in all parts
of the country, but found no trace of either
her or Mills, and came to the belief that they
had left the country. In 1872 he obtained a,
divorce from his wife, and soon afterward mar
red again. His second wife died in 1875.
In 1877 letter came to. the village post
Office addressed to Uri Gates. 1t was handed
to Executor Pool, who opened it. 1t was
dated at Litchfeld, Mimi, and was from the
long-missing wife and daughter She wrote
she was DESTROYS of returning repentant to
her father and receiving his forgiveness; and
that, while she knew she had sinned deeply,
she had not been the guilty person that they
no doubt believed her to be. This letter Mr..
Pool showed to Timer, and the two resolved
to go TO Iitchheld and hear the unfortunate
woman's story Mr.. Pool visited her first.
She was working as a seanstress in private
family, under her maiden name. She was
greatly greved to hear that her father died
before she could receive his forgiveness and
believing her a greater sinner than she really
was. To Mr.. Pool she told her story.
The elopement was arranged between her
and Mills with the idea that she was to pro-
coed to Indiana and procure a divorce, when
they were 70 be married. This she did at
Lafayette. She met Mills at Central CITY,
Col, where they were married by a minister
named Whitehead. They lived happily in
Central City for year Mills made money
supplying miners, but finally got to gam
bling. He lost all the money he had made,
ana began to neglect his wife and treat her
cruelty. He gave up his business in Central
City, and took her to Salt Lake City, place
Of which she had a great horror. There he
opened a low resort for dissolute characters,
whom he often compelled his wife to serve
with liquor. In 1871 Mills brought woman
to their home, and told his wife that he had
joined the Mormons, and that this woman
was another wife. Shortly afterward he
brought another woman there. They lived
riotously, and finally one night the
woman who had given up every
thing for Mills fled from his
house in disguise. She succeeded in reach
ing Denver on New Years day 1872. There
she hired out as a dining-room girl in the
City Hotel, where she remained a year and
half. Then she went as a lady's maid with
party OF English tourists, and travelled with
them till the spring of 1874. Then she re-
solved to return home. AtSt. Louis she was
taken i'll with fever, and lay i'll three months
Her savings had been exhausted. and she en-
gagged to go to Minnesota as a travelling COM
panion to an invalid lady. She was with her
until 1876, when the invalid died near Lake
Itaska. Left alone, and in bad health in that
isolated region she resolved to make her
way East, and to her fathers home. Be-
tween Itaska and Brainerd Junction she was
robbed by her guide. and left almost penni-
less to make her way to Brainerd alone and
on foot for thirty miles. She was compelled
to go out to service again, and finding that
her health was growing more feeble, she
made her final resolve to write to her father
and obtain, if possible, his permission to re-
turn home.
This story was repeated to Mr. Timer He
at once sought an interview with his truant
wife, The result was her entire forgiveness
and remarriage at ST. Paul The rewedded
couple returned to their village home, and
lived happily together. Mrs Timers health,
however remained very delicate, and when
her husband was Frustrated with pneumonia,
and theil child, which was born to them in
1878, fell ill with scarlet fever, she sue
cumbed TO her great care and anxiety for
chem. Their deaths, both in one day, were
a shock so great that she survived them but
a few hours.