Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-11-29
A LIFE ROMANCE
Which Began in the Lovely Kama
Wha Valley
NEARLY A QUARTER OF CENTURY ACC
A Husband and Wife Separated for Many
Years but Reunited at Last Return
to Their Old Home in
West Virginia.

tndt lOVellesL Vi dll picturesque IeSionsi
the headwaters OF the Great Kanawha, there
lived young farmer named Goodman. He
was born and had grown to manhood IN
that region, and had, by his indomitable
industry and energy, acquired the title to
as fine farm as any that dotted the little
valley. Some two years previous to the
opening Of the story he had married
buxom mountain lassie, and settled down
to enjoy the happiness OF married life.
Time passed on, and baby son came to
increase their happiness. With the birth
of the child came the news that Fort Sum-
ter had fallen, and the tocsin of civil war
had been sounded Although Southern
born, Goodman was
a Bitter Opponent of slavery,
and it had even been said of him that he
had individually aided many runaway
slave TO a haven of refuge over the myster-
ious Underground Railway When the
first rumors OF war reached the quiet val.
ley, GOODMAN bade farewell to his family
and, accompanied by four OF his neish5ors
whose sympathies We're with the cause OF
the Union, they secretly left the valley
that same night and rode northward. They
proceeded to Cincinnati by boat, where
they enlisted, and in the course OF time
were transferred to the Army OF the Gum
berland. In the dark days OF September
1863, after the battle OF Chickamauga
and in
The Retreat TO Chattanooga
in one of the innumerable skirmishes dQr-
ing the retreat, Goodman was captured aud
shortly afterward sent to Andersonyille
Prison. Through a cOmrade came few
brief lines to the mountain home in Nir-
ginia, that Goodman had been captured
and sent South, aud few months later
came the sSd intelligence that he had died
lingering death in the Southern prison
pen. Close upon the heels Of the awful
news came the awakening on dark night
with the roof Of her house ablaze by the
incendary's torch, applied by maraud-
ing band OF Confederates to more than one
Union home in the hitherto peaceful val
lev. Crushed by the double loss and hav.
ing no relatives near to whom she could
apply for refuge, Mrs. Goodman made her
| way to Cincinnati
Where She Expected TO Find Home
with an uncle, whom she had visited once
in childhood; but upon reaching the city,
her hopes were doomed TO disappointment,
as he had left for the Vest some years BE-
fore, and his prIssht residence was un-
known. Her limited supply Of money be-
coming rapidly reduced, she was forced TO
place her child in an orphan asylum, aud
through an advertisement in daily paper
she obtained employment in great estab-
lishment on Fourth street that had a con-
tract for furnishing uniforms for the Fed
eral troops. She WAS thus employed for
nearly a year, receiving q bare pittanCe
that scarcely kept soul and body together,
but through the influence OF physician
who attended her during serious illness,
She Obtained a Position ~ Nurse
in the Cincinnati Hospital at more remu
erative wages.
The report uf GOoIman's death at Andcr-
sonville proved 10 Or false and after weary
months Of imprisonment ne was exchanged
in the fail OF 1864 with some 2D0 others,
and sent North. He had heard no news
from home in al that ,imC and the scene
that met his galc a''sr II long and tiresome
Journey was hcUrtrrudlng. Ruin, desoia.
tion and woe on every hand, wife and child
wanderers OF the esr b, was enough 70 crush
even O stronger spirit than his, weakened
by long siege of imprisonment eheard
that his wife had gone to Cincinnati, and
in few days he was in the city, but
thorough search by detectives and repeated
advertisements in the daily papers
Failed to Find Any Trace
of the loving object OF his search. After
some weeks faithful and persistent in
Quiries, he was forced to the conclusion
that his wife and child were both dead.
At this time the silver excitement in
Nevada was At its highest and having
nothing TO retard him, Goodman Wen
West in the hope OF forgetting his great
sorrow in the dizzy whirl OF the mining
camp. He staked claim and being man
of energy and not addicted to the vices SO
prevalent among the miners, he succeeded
in few months in amassing quite for
tune, which he invested in real estate in
the then already tlourishing town OF Nir
ginia City. Success crowned his every uu-
dertaking, and it was not long until Good.
man was considered the wealthies stman in
all that region, where scores OF men were
counted millionaires. In 1876 Goodman
Removed 10 Sam Francisco
and became senior partner in great bank
ing tirm. one morning, in answer to an
advertisement for book.keepers, young
man presented himself in his private office,
who, by his striking esemblance to Good
man, led to inquiries an II investigation.
To make a long story short, the young
man proved to be the long lost son OF Good
man. lie had been adopted from the
orphan asylum at Cincinnati, by wealthy
and Childless coupled ol Dayton, Ohio, raised
IN luxury and given good education.
FinanCisl reverses and the death OF both
his banetac:orS threw the young man on
his uun resources, and lie had finally
Driftcd TO the Far West.
carried thither by the llat:eriDg reports OF
the new Eldoraio. Henry, for such was
rhe Young mans name, was Immediately
installed as junior partner OF the tirm.
In October last a gentleman named War
rem, an old neighbor OF Goodman in his
Virginia home, and. by the way, one OF the
comrades that went out with MIN from the
quiet valley to battle IN the war of the
Union, was in San Francisco, and having q
draft TO negotiste, he stepped into Good
mans bank TO transact his business.
While the money was being paid over TO
him By the elder Goodman. Warren casu-
ally remarked that he Goodman very
much resembed an old friend whom he
knew years ago in West Virginia. Good
man stated he Was from Greenbrier coun-
ty; explanations followed,
The Identity OF Each Disclosed.
and Warren was invited to the home OF the
younger uDOuInhn, Nllu " uOiu HIS AaLuV'
was residing. That evening after tea, the
psrty were drawn around the ireside ex.
changing "reminiscences of the past. Final
IL Goodman related the disappearance and
supposed death of his wife, when he was
interrupted by Warren, who excitetly
stated that Mrs. Goodman was still awe
and resident of CoyinCton, Ky. The rev.
elation came like a thunderclsp on a clear
cloudless daA. and the shock nearly proved
TOO much for Goodman. Joy seldom ever
kills, and so it proved in this instance.
Warren happened to know the address OF
Mira. Goodman, who had never married,
and at an early hour in the morning they
drove 70 the telegraph Office and an ex-
Chsrge of kilograms
Confirmed Earren's Statement
ths: Mrs. Goodman was yet in the land OF
the living.
Goodman. accompanied by his son and
family, took the first train for the East,
and in due time arrived at Cincinnati. No
pen can picture the meeting after more
Than twenty wears separation, and the loy