The weekly sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1886-1887, 1886-09-16
AN ENOCH ARDIN CASE.

heartiest congratulations of every one.
AN ENoCH ARDIN CASE.
How Two North Carolina Husbands
Disposed ofTheir One Wife.
Near unto three quarters of a CEN
tury ago all the land around More
head City, this State, belonged to a
man named Shepherd, a gentleman
who had lived to the yers of we'll sea-
soned celibacy, acquiring meantime a
liberal fortune for those early Caro-
lima days. On creek few miles in
land there lived seafaring man,
known as Captain Dill, and he had
made good woman his wife, who
bore him two children. Shepherd was
accustomed to visit the Dills, and a
friendship most commendable was
maintained for years.
Captain Dill went to sea in his
schooner and was overtaken by ter
rife storm, which dismantled his craft
leaving the hulk floating helplessly out
of sight of land with no living soul ON
board but Dill. On the second day
he was sighted by French bark and
taken on board and carried to Havre.
Some strange fancy prompted Dill to
go to Paris rather than seek passage
as seaman back to America He re-
manned for two years or more at the
French capital, and if he wrote to his
vie on the far-nway coast of Carolina
no letter ever reached her. Indeed
mail facilities in those early days were
pot to be depended upon, and thew
are not remarkable even now.
Mrs. Dill, hearing nothing of her
husband or his vessel, mourned him
as lost. For two long years she
mourned in widows weeds and down
cast eyes, struggling to support herself
and children. Shepherd mingled his
tears with his widow friend and when
little caps of white began to announce
the near conclusion of her sorrowing
ventured to smile when a briny pearl
was scarcely expected. Then his Wis
its increased in frequency and length,
until the indications warranted his lay
ing his heart and her fortune at her
feet. She picked up both and became
Mrs. Shepherd. In due time she bore
| Mr.. Shepherd son.
One sunny September afternoon
when the leaves were browning in the
cemetary of Beaufort, Captain Dill
stepped upon the lock of that ancient
borough and was welcomed by his
friends as one given back to them by
the sea He learned of the marriage
of his wife to Shepherd and none spoke
unkindly of the woman who had acted
! in the fullest faith of her widowhood
Then he rowed his boat over to the old
homestead ON the creek, but now de
serted, since Shepherd had removed
the family to his own home, a few miles
distant on another creek of limpidness
After resting Il day or SO in the ole
haunts, Dill entered his b ,at and pad
died leasurely toward the Shepherd
home of his wife. Mrs. Shepherd saic
she was glad to see him, but Shephero
was somewhat mixed in his feelings
Nevertheless, they Hospitality enter
tained him, and that night, when the
three children had been tucked il
their trundle beds, they talked the
embarrassing matter over. Dill
wanted his wife and so did Shepherd
They slept over the intricate contro
versy, and the next morning both hus
bands submitted the dispute for tina
decision to Mrs. Dill Shepherd, thei
wife. The husbands strolled down t.
the beach and gave her two hours TO
cogitation. When they returned t
the house, she announced her intention
of remaining Mrs. Shepherd Th
two husbands shook hands and part
ed, Dill to resume his vocation on th
sea, shepherd to continue his farming
and trading, the children to be reare,
by the latter.
Not quite year elapsed befor
Shepherd laid down and died, thereb,
unraveling one strand Of the twiste'
knot Dill did the mingling ac
on this occasion, and after awaiting
sufficient time to avoid the suspicion o
heartlessness, presented his claim !,
her lawful husband. Mrs Dill wa
quite willing, but only after a licens
and a marriage ceremony. Dill sub
missively bought him the license am
employed a parson, and Mrs. Dill
Shepherd clipped the shepherd
from the back end other name. An
bless you, she did more She lived t
a ripe old age and buried Dill as sh
had buried poor Shepherd.