Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-02-24
STRANGER THAN FICTION.

A Trying MOment-Her Husband Re-
turns, But She Refuses to Recognize Him
His Sudden Death-A True Account of
Most Romantic Life.
IF you're in search of romance, go to
real life for it, said prominent lawyer
to a Boston Globe reporter who had called
upon him in his Office. "The realm of
actual fact is richer in material for fiction
than the deepest recesses of the most fer
tile imagination. In 1875 a woman came
to me and told me the following remarka-
BILE tale:
SIN 1861, when was still in school and
but sixteen years of age, was living with
nv parents in a Massachusetts town.
Boarding with them was young man with
whom 1 associated considerably. One day
we were sleigh riding in a neighboring
town together, when he made to me a
proposition of marriage and urged its i'm
mediate acceptance and execution. After
some hesitation 1 consented, and we went
at once to the nearest minister, who tied
for us the matrimonial knot. No one saw
us save the minister and wife, both of
whom were over seventy years
of age, and to whom
we were entire strangers. We came
back then to my parents house, but told
them not word of what had happened
Ostensibly we lived as before, but secretly
in our new relations of husband and wife.
After few weeks l mustered up courage
enough to sound my mother for the pur-
pose of ascertaining how she would receive
the news of our marriage should we reveal
it. So strong dislike did she express re-
garding my husband when l limited at the
possibility of his becoming such, that my
courage vanished, and l gave up all hope
of renewing the subject. But
the necessity of promptly tax
ing some decisive S ep was soon made ap-
parent to me. At this juncture my hus-
band, saying that he had accomplished his
intentions and satisfied his designs. basely
and heartlessly deserted me and enlisted
in the army. What was l to doI After
much thought decided that 1 must get
leave of absence from home on some pre-
text or other. So 1 asked the permission
of my parents, when summer arrived, to
spend my vacation at the home of a
schoolmate in Vermont town. They con-
scented, and went to town of moderate
size in Vermont, where was utterly I'M
acquainted, and had no schoolmate what
ever. Arriving at the station I asked
to be driven to the best doctors, and in
his Office 1 told him of my sad situation
and asked him to find me a quiet place in
which to board. He was very kind and did
for me these things and more. But con-
cealed my identity from him and every
one else. Only the people with whom l
boarded knew of my presence in the town.
Finally my child was born and adopted by
a gentleman and lady whose kind offices
had been secured by the doctor, but who
knew nothing of me. Then l wrote to my
parents, saying that I had been sick,
though not seriously, and had lost good
deal of flesh, but should return to them as
soon as able to travel. [ did soon return,
and no one has ever suspected the object of
myjourney. graduated from schooland am
now employed as bookkeeper in store in
this city. No one dreams that am a
married woman, and you are the only per-
son to whom l have told any portion of
my story. Since my child was born, the
only external reminder that I have had of
my experience occurred one day when
was startled by the entrance into the store
where 1 am employed of the couple who
adopted my child, accompanied by the
child itself; and 1 assure you that when
the little one picked up some trife from
the counter and said to me, Can l have
that, lady?' it was the most trying moment
of my life, and only with the greatest ex-
ertion did [ retain my self control"
"'But why do you come to me with your
story at this late day?' interrupted 1.
What can do for you"
"'Simply BECAUSE she answered, my
husband, from whom 1 had never heard
since he enlisted in 1861, appeared before
me about week ago and demanded recog-
milton of his relationship. [ refused to
have anything to do with him, since which
he has been harass1ng and annoying me
in every possible way, and I live in fear
that my poor mother, now an invalid, will
in some way learn the facts and die in
consequence of the shock. come to you,
sir, to learn if there is way by which to
avoid this calamity"
II considered the matter, and finally adj
vised her to leave the city on vacation of
thirty days, telling no one where she was
going, except her mother, to whom she
should give such reasons for her departure
as would disarm suspicion. A Jews days
later she came to my Office about 9 o'clock
in the morning and said that she was to
leave for New Hampshire by the II o'clock
train that day. She went, but three days
afterward appeared again in my Office,
much to my surprise.
what are you doing here again.
asked I.
''She replied: you advised me better
| than you knew. left, as l said I would,
by the IL o'clock train. When it reached
a certain city where all trains stop, a
stranger entered the car in which sat and
asked in a loud voice: "ls Miss - in
this carr" The name that he nentioned
was my own. was much startled, but
felt at once that my husband had noticed
my departure and the direction of my
journey and had followed me. However,
not wishing to play the coward after a
fourteen years. struggle for independ-
ence, / resolved to face the
music, and responded to the strangers
question. "Follow me-" he said,
somewhat peremptorily. I obeyed, and he
conducted me to buggy drawn by pair
of horses foaming with sweat We got in,
and he drove off at tremendous rate, !E
saying word. Finally he stopped before
q house, which he told me to enter. Again
1 obeyed, and was met at the door and
,ehorod into room uhara Law NV dvinO