Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1886-10-07

roaq-bfought the sad intelligence @
the husbands death. Tn. body wa
inferred in the Triaity burying-ground
and the stone, with the date of death
is still standing" The gentle
raconteuse admitted at this point tina
there had been people maliciou!
enough to say that. the man had
abandoned his American wife, and
that. having another spouse in En-
gland, he had invented the neat story
to get away without scandal. But hel
(the matron's) granduncle knew bet.
ter. 1t WAS a true bill.
1.-The will? O, yes, it was found,
and is the most curious part of the
story. After providing amply for the
maintenance of the homestead, the
widow and tho children there was a
supplemental clause reading some.
thing like this, as my granduncle re.
peated it:
"In view of the fact that there is a
recognized faint of insanity in my
| blood, and that for three generations
before me there has always been a
demerted member of my family, /,
| being yet of sound mind. do wish to
provide for the lost one who will in
evitably succeed me. ! therefore di-
| rect that $4,000, to be realized from
the sale of my property, shall be safely
| invested by my executors for the sup
| port of such invalid and his or her sue
cessor.' Then, again, in the form of
codicil, was this clause:
"'To the lost one during life, and to
to his or her successor, the small house
in the North woods, known and de-
scribed as '.Ashmer," and I suggest
that he or she be there confined, under
watehful care rather than in public
hospital
"The widow was terribly shocked
at this revelation. Every thing that a
woman's heart could suggest was
done to keep the knowledge Of the fam
lily faint from the children. 1t hung
over the mothers life and blithtcd it.
The boy grew to mans estate, but was
a sly, secrctive person, and was one
day found drowned in the PatapscO.
The coroner's verdict was mercifully
framed to read accidentally drowned
but nobody doubted that it was the re-
appearance of the suicidal impulse.
What became Of the elder girl my in
formant never heard. There was some
mystery there, also, but the matron
never faith omcd it.
1.-The younger daughter, however,
married. She had always been of
lively disposition, had shown no tend
cncy toward moroseness, and the
mother began to believe that the curse
of madness would pass over her only re-
manning child. The sutton for the girls
hand had been told the family secret,
and, though staggered for the time, he
had solemnly accepted the response
bility. He was very proud of his pretty
wife. and well he might be. They lived
very happily together, the wife's
mother finally dying, peacefully,
assured of her child's escape. But it
was not to be so. After five years of
marriage the first child, son, was
born. The young wife's manner
changed completely. Her gayety dis
appeared In vain the husband tried
to rally her. She recovered her phys
ical health, but her eyes permanently
took on that strange, sleepy look that
her daughter now has. But, not to
get ahead of the story, trip to Eu-
rope, in the constant attendance of her
devoted husband and maid, was fol-
lowed by the advent of the daughter,
whom we all know. The family had
returned to Baltimore prior to this
event. The mental disease fully devel-
oped in the mother soon after, and,
having tried all the specialists in the
country, the husband was sorrowfully
induced to send his wife to the house
in the North woods tract of Cor
est about twenty miles out on the Hag-
crstown road.
1.-The two children were committed
to the care of housekeeper. A serv-
ant maid, who had been in the family
of the wife's mother, was also re-
tanned. That was serious error, fol-
one day the three were missed, and,
after long and anxious search. they |
were found at cashmere sitting on |
the ground outside watching the antics |
and listening to the bowls of the de-
mented woman within. She could be |
plainly seen through the grated win
lows. This scene left an indelible inn
preston on the minds of both chill
lren. They knew their mother And,
5hough they were taken back to town
With the utmost dispatch, they rcmem-
oered the road. and, in after years.
hey frequently made the journey sur
Hours were spent by
hem in this sad, speeches. associa-
ion with the mother they loved. She
never recognized them. 1t was more
'itiful than visit to her grave. And
o me now there comes a shudder as
think of this fair girl. whose pres
nee at Long Branch this summer has
'een delight even to those who know
Ter not, standing with tears in her
zig, blue eyes in front of the grated
loor to her mad mothers cage. What
luman sorrow equal to hers! In her
lcart the cankerw orm of woe. She
ian not marry-first, because she dares
lot, and, second, because the most
enturesome man in this Republic re-
oils from the inevitable prospect of a
maniac wife. All! the cold, merciless
Tords of the gentle, Christian matron
S she closes the recital:
s. Fine girl, and rich. Why, she's
he sole heir to '.the house in the North
FOODS, and will one day be its ten
mt. LONG Branch Letter to ~ Y.
|