The Dawson journal., 1885-09-10
Augusta Chronicle.

Saturday last there appeared at
the City Hall woman with two
children--an infant about six
weeks old and girl about two
years old. In manner and ap-
pearance she was lady-like. She
was young, and had evidently
been quite pretty, but she wore
the air of one in deep trouble, and
seemed exhausted from fatigue.
To the officer of the night she
told q story of desertion and dis
tress, such as we are seldom call
ed upon to record in this commu-
nifty.
She said that she had come
from her home in Washington
county, North Carolina,a few days
before, at the instance of her hus-
band, James Mitchell, who was q
commercial traveller; that she was
a native of that county, and had
been married about three years.
A few weeks ago the little one at
her breast had come to gladden.
their home, and her husband was
then all kindness and attention.
Soon after the birth of her child
he came to Augusta. On his ar
rival here he wrote to her, urging
her to sell their home. She at
once set about complying with
this request, and finally disposed
of it as best as she could, realiz-
ing about 800 from the sale. She
then came to Augusta where she
was met with every demonstration
of affection, and was conducted to
a room which he had secured on
Campbell street.
She turned over the 500 to
him. Everything moved on as US
ual. Soon after, under some pre-.
text, he obtained her watch,a valu-
able heirloom.
A few days after her arrival
they were sitting in their room to-
gGther. He had the baby in his
arms fondling it, when he sudden
ly arose and put the child in her
lap and said to her: II am 60
ing to leave you," adding that he
wanted her to return him hel
ring. She did not take this seri-
ously; nothing was further from
her mind than that he spoke in
earnest. She would not give him
the ring, however, but asked when
he was going 20 return her watch.
He replied: "When I see you
again. She asked him when that
would be. "Never," he answered
and Immediately left her.
She has not seen him since. At
first she could not realize her po-
sition. There had been no trace
of GOODNESS or displeasure on his
part prior to this strange conduct.
She waited hourly watching for
his return, but night came with
no sign of him. She passed a
sleepless night, and on the NOR
row, sick at heart, and beginning
to despair, commenced to look for
him on the streets He had left
her with only seventy-fve cents
in money, and this was spon gone.
For two days she had nothing to
eat, and at the City Hall the chill
dren had been without food for
twelve hours.
"Bahy has oeen very good" she
said, looking at the little one who
elung to its mothers breast and
seemed by some strange sympa-
thy to realize that she was in
trouble. ''She has not cried once"
Here she had come at last, thor
oughly broken down, after wan
dering about the streets most of
the day and far into the night,
penniless and stranger, with no
place to lay her head
She was asked if she had no
idea where her husband had gone.
She said none farther than was
conveyed by a letter she had re-
eeived from her sister, who lived
near her former home in North
Carolina. In this letter it WAS
stated that the husband had tele-
graphed to her, saying that he
was going to California. Phis,
however, it is thought was probs-
bly, a blind. Nothing else could
be CLEANED as to his whereabouts.
The broken hearted woman seem
ed to have giuen MP all hope for