The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-01-22

| In discharge OF his duties In that pO-
sition gained FOR him the confidence of
his employers, and he was soon made
| general manager of the concern at an
! enormous salary. The announcement
of his marriage to the daughter of the
| senior member of the firm in question
created quite 4 sensation, as they were.
socially speaking. not suited for each
other she being of very high social
standing III the metropolis of the great
but little island. while on the other hand
lie was comparative ignorant and OBJ
scure in that respect. This was the
primary, if no. the principal cause OF
frequent quarrels thereafter. Time
passed, and two children We're born to
them.
We viii now take trip back to his
former, or American, wife aad children,
from whom he was forced TO part sew
eral years previous. After his escape
from prison the news spread rapidly
over the wires that a man answering
his description was killed at Lancaster,
Pa. This news was received as official
by the authorities, although the body
had not been identified as the escaped
convict. The poor woman also re-
ceiVcd the news as positive proof Of her
husbands terrible fate. Herself and
family accordingly remained in mourn
for over a year for man who was then
alive and who was to be untrue TO his
devoted wife and children. The eNpi-
ration of several years of supposed
widowed life brought back to light the
great mystery and an awful tale.
On a cold December evening a tat
tered but Intelligent looking boy, ap-
parently OF sixteen summers, appeared
at the door Of her residence and po-
litely asked for some catables, saying
he was on long, fatiguing journey,
anG without money. The request was
readily granted, and after politely
thanking her for her kindness and tell
ing where he was from he took hi,
leave. No more was heard of him or
seen Of him there.
The summer of IS witnessed a
grand steamboat excursion on the Miss
iSsippi from st. Louis. Among the
large number aboard was the boy who
appeared in Dubuque rs an outcast. but
who had now grown TO respectable
manhood under the RAYS OF Il Southern
sun. As fate would have it. the gcn2r-
OCS old lady VINO had befriended him
when he was destitute was also aboard,
accompanied by her daughter He i'm
mediateiy recognized her. introduced
himself. and an interesting CONVERSE
ton followed. in the course of which a
pressing invitation was extended to him
TO pay them visit in their Dubuque
home. The invitation was accepted ard |
a short time af5erward fulfilled. Il mav,
perhaps, seem strange. but it is never |
thelc-s fact, that the names of both |
parties remained Il secret until the dav |
OF his visit. Imagine their position and |
the friendship that arose when the facts !
became known and the inquiry which |
followed may be termed the key to |
the deep mystery existing, the circum- |
stances OF which are already known to !
the reader. Tie scene following the |
young mans story of his early life, his |
parents, etc, beTgars description, as it |
was now settled beyond particle of
doubt that the supposed dead husband |
and father was no other than the man
before alluded to, and what is still more.
remarkable. the mysterious acquaint-
ance proved to be his son. born to his
illegal wife. He said that he left home
because of his fathers brutal treatment
Of his mother. 4 secret correspondence
between the wrOnged woman in Dublin
and her son in Dubuque easued. when
for the first time did her terrible DO
Sition is an illegal wife become k:own
to her. A pen picture of his grief and
on receipt Of the news of
this startling disclosure is beyond the /
writer's ability, it can be better i'm
l:,ined than described. Suffice it to say.
the meeting of herself and husband was |
By 10 means aflectionate. The crisis
comes at a later stage.
The correspondence was uninter
carried on until the actual
Of all concerned was revealed.
and III some Unacc0untable manner the
United States authorities were made
cogniZant of the fact that an American
convict and murderer had been diScov-
,red in Dublin. The Secretary of State
made prudent investigation of the
Ease which resulted in establishing the
rue identity of the man in question.
out for some reason or other his arrest
was not demanded. consequently we
nave no more 10 add 10 this chapter.
During this time his American wife and
laughter were Sorely afflicted, and in
state Of mind. not knowing
whether to recognize the young man as
IN impOstOr, or endeavor to obtain the
cal facts in the case. They chose the
after, and at once dispatched letter
o the address given BY the informant,
)ut 10 answer came. A second and
bird was written with the same result.
Many long and anxious days and sleep
eSS nights Were passed in vain.
Now that all efforts to communicate
With him by letter were OF no a-ail. an
'ther plan was connected to carry out
heir purpose. The mother was grow !
NO old and feeble and unable to I'M
ergo the hardship and fatigue incident
o sea voyage. this being the onlv me-
ium through which the proof OF the
Dung mans story could be ascer-
aimed. Not to be baffied. the daurh-
er, who was only in her teens, made
he sensational assertion that she would I
lspense with petticCats and don the |
antaloonS. This WAS accomplished. !
nd she at once set out on her long and
erilouS journey, leaving the feeble
lother to take care of herself, the other
'vo children having died in the mean
me. As she presented more OF mas
uline than feminine appearance her
Ian was very successful. but she VEN |
lred no familiarity with any of her l
fellow mon" although She dincd and {