Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-04-22
A Touching Story.

1t may not be generally known, yet it is
probably true, that the famous novel Of
East Lynne, although written in England,
had the ground work of it's story in sin
gular marriage which took place in this
city, the notice and attending circumstan-
ces at the time being copied by almost
every paper in the country. The matter was
about as follows:
A MIR. j. NJ, clerk in down town
house, fell in love with a young lady, whose
father was well-to-do Second street mer-
chant, and after proper season of attention
| the couple were married
| They soon found out that they were not
very happily mated, and after marriage OF
seven years, during which time they had
three children (two boys and girl,) they
mutually agreed to the husband applying
for divorce, merely on the ground of in
compatibility of temper The divorce was
granted, and the wife went home to her
father, who through indorsing lost his bust
ness and all his property. The daughters
and his own misfortune weighed so heavily
on the fathers mind that, during moment
of mental alienation, he took his own life,
leaving bis daughter penniless, and to rough
it with the cold charity of the world as best
she cOuld.-The woman, a brave little crea-
ture, tried every way she knew how to gain
an honest livelihood in fact, working SO
hard, giving music lessons and doing en-
broidery for her old schoolmates, that her
health gave way, and having no money to
pay her board, must beg, starve or go to
the poor house.
To turn to the other side of the picture,
the husband, after months release from
the marital bands, again married, and at
the time of which we speak had not only
the children by his first wife, but also an
addition thereto, little two-year old girl
by his second wife. The latter lady being
i'll, the husband advertised for nurse and
housekeeeper which notice reached the eye
Of the first wife, and she, in her trouble,
went to the former partner of her heart,
told him of her sad condition, and applied
for the position in his household. The hus-
band, giving her ample funds for all imme-
diate wants, asked her to call again at his
Office On the following morning, promising
to consult his wife about the matter in the
mean time.
Promptly, as per agreement, wife No.
was on time, as was the husband, and from
there they went to the residence, where the
two wives had their first conversation, end
ing in their agreement for the first wife to
come and accept the vacant place, which
she did, seemingly delighted at having a
|
ing the very strange circumstances under
which such shelter was given. Necessity
demanded that the entire past should be
obliterated, and the new housekeeper
treated as any other help; that she must
care for the children-her own offspring
and the other child as any other hired
nurse would do; that she must eat at the
second table; to take care of her charges.
All these things and even more humility
did the poor woman show, never sigh,
word, or look exhibiting the least evidence
of discomfort. What, however, must have
been the true feeling of her heart, when see
ing another filling the place that she had once
tried, as she thought SO hard to fill.
The above is from the files Of an old Gin
: cinnati paper, but the sequel, as told us by
one conversant with the fact, is stranger
than what we have already narrated. When
the cholera was ragipk in our city in 1856,
t the second was taken very ill with it, and
being informed by the physician that she
could not live but few hours at most, as
: she was then taken in a collapsed condi-
ton, she asked that all 60 out of the room
excepting her husband and housekeeper,
3 when she told how much she dreaded leav-
ing her little children among strangers, and
as dying wife, entreated them to marry
S again.
The proposition was strange one, but both
promised, and in a few months afterward,
: when the second wife had been dead suffi-
Gent length of time not to cause remarks,
the two were again married, brought to-
, gether after cruel separation of so many
years, and we believe, are now living hap
PLY together in a cozy West End house =
Gin. Enquirer.