News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-12-23
THE WIFE OF WINSLOW.
The Vicissitndes of a Woman who Loved
her Criminal Husband.

A month ago home letter brought
to me the news of the death of the wife
| of Ezra d. Winslow, noted Boston
| forger. Mrs. Winslow was woman of
the sort that always brings about her
| hosts of friends. She made them con-
! tinudlly, and she kept them. Still, |
do not believe that there was one who
knew that she was dead that would
| have wished it otherwise. Mrs. Wins
low, formerly Miss Ayres, was married
to Mr. WinsIow while he was nineteen
,, and she was seventeen, the result of a
pure and simple love match. This was
shortly before the beginning of the late
war, through which Mr.. Winslow
served with honor and respect as an ac-
tive chaplain. Very soon after their
marriage a boy was born, and as years
went on the sweet mother and hand
some child and the honored. father be
came known and loved everywhere.
Later on Mr.. Winslow became interested
in many things; journalism, real estate.
his ministry, politics and speculation of
a number of kinds. He was a man
without the slightest ostentation, genial,
generous, practical, affable-in fact, as
correct and as Interesting a man as ever
made his way in the world He moved
to Auburndale, one of the villages of
Newton, near Boston, and fairly made
it, socially and practically. lie made
money honestly and rapidly, and spent
it like shrewd business man. No one
could have been more respected. His
word and his smile were valued as only
those of one man in village of that
no
men were his friends and lntimates.
One night about Christmas tide ten
years ago his house was burned to the
ground. A few nights later he carried
his weeping, faintlng wife into wall
ing train, the pale, questioning lad of
fifteen years following with Il sister of
Mrs. Ninslow. In a days time the
news spread that Mr. Winslow was on
his way to Amsterdam, self-eXiled
criminal For days and days, until it
was proved Eeyond a doubt, business
men absolutely refused to believe the
statements printed and reprinted in the
papers.
On arriving at Amsterdam the fugi-
tives were detained, and again in Lon
don Mrs. Winslow was robbed of money
that was probably her own, but was GER
tainly never returned to those whom her
husband had wronged. Then Mr..
Winslow went TO Brazil and his wife
came back to her home. bringi her
boy to be educated. She parted from
her husband, whom she had learned to
know as a criminal, but loved as dearly
as ever, only temporarily, she thought.
She expected from him a speedy sum
mons to return, and the means to do so.
This summons failed to come.
Instead, there came one day from the
man whose wife she was, and whom
she loved so well, a copy of news
paper he had established in Rio. Her
first thought was pride and hope COM
mingled. He was clever; he would re-
trieve his fortunes; he would wipe out
the disgraceful debt!
Then there met her eye faint pencil
mark. In encircled note of her death
at her home in Newton.
Can you imagine the intensity of that
blow? No one can. Nor of the one
that waited four short weeks to follow.
Another page came. 1t contained the
notice of his marriage to another wo-
man.
Hideous as this woman's sufferings
must have been, she gave no sign. For
a long time even her boy, her own sis
ters did not know of this. All they
saw or knew was that she no longer
planned to go to her husband; that the
sad face grew thinner; that the blue
eyes grew larger but faded; that there
was neither word of hope nor a word
of reproach on her lips; that she lived
only to see her boy grow up an honest,
loving man, and do good and be good
to all.
For nine years this woman was con-
demned to live this horrible existence.
A sadder, sweeter, purer, better woman
than in all her pure life she had been
before, imagine her sufferings if you
can, and be glad with those that loved
her that month ago she died. -Fan1sie
3. Merrill, in NtaO York Graphic.