Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1886-10-22
WIDOW VAN GEsEL's VISION.
Philadelphia Press:

Philadelphia Press:
Mrs Sadie Van easel was found dead
in her bed Mt her home in Sandy Springs,
W. Va, on the last day of February, and
her death recalls the story of her life,
which was rather remarkable IL a matri-
munial way Her fathers name was
Martin, and she was born in Mercer
County about fifty years ago, and went to
Sandy Springs when only fifteen years of
age. She was an unusually pretty and
attractive girl She married John Burke,
lumberman. Burke lived only two
ycars being killed by "A falling tree. Mrs
Burke received attentions from Richard
Rasln and married him. When RasIn
married he was in excellent health, but
after a happy union of four years he sue
cumbod 10 II malignant attack of malarlal
fever. Rasin had been under the turf
about eighteen months when his widow
married George r. Roberts. The people
III tho neighborhood began to look upon
Sadie Martin rs very unlucky
woman and it was prophesied that
Roberts would not live long.
Aftor being married three years Roberts
was accidentally shot and killed while out
cunning. It was several years before the
widow brushed the tears away from her
cycs sufficiently to see love for her in
those of Charles lngle, a cousin to her
first husband. Inglo drank himself to
death, and quit the claim i'll favor of
John Bryant, "A sturdy, strapplng back
wOodsmnn, who stood six feet in his
stockings and was regarded AS one of the
most powerful men in the camps. Bry-
ant, having married the widow, took her
over into Logan County To a camp called
Beach Creek, where they lived pleasantly
together and had two children, both
girls
Bryant finally got tired of his wife,
however, aud disappeared, and was not
hcurn of for five years, during which time
Mrs. Bryant supported herself and the
children by knitting socks for the trap
pcrs and buying skins and sending them
to market. At the end of five years she
received information that Bryant had
been killed in II row ON II Mississippi
steamer.
This left her once moro free and still
comparatively young. She was extreme
~ poor. and her children went around al
most in rags. While things were going
along from bad To worse there happened
along German pcddlcr named otto NV
or. Niger could talk English to the
Quoun's taste, and had "A glib tongue, and
But the peddler proved inconstaut and
skipped, and was never heard of after
ward. Then the widow returned To Sandy
Spriugs
Three years ago, after waiting many
years for soms news of Myor, the peddler,
the widow made her final match with
Samuel Van Gcscl, Il farmer and
wdower with four children. There was
violent opposition ON the part of Van
Gescl's family, and his children left his
house. The ceremony was performed in
the widows house. She was several wears
Older than Van Gescl, and her hair was
turned gray. There were wrinkles in her
face, but her black eyes sparkled as bright
~ ever, aud a smile lighted up her coun-
tcnnuco ma she became for the seventh
time wife. Van GeEcl passed away
at the end of year, being literally
crowded into his grave 10y the hatred ex-
pressed against him by his family and
former friends.
His widow afterwards lived III retire
mont One day the widow had dream
in which she saw the vision of her eighth
husband. She said she was lying ON the
lounge iii the sitting room ut the time,
and the vision appeared before her as
natural rs life aud told her that he was
destined to marry her, and unless this
event were speedily To happen she would
die. She recognized III the vision James
Turpiu, a prominent widower of the ham
let, Il school commissioner, a man of con
siderable property and influence, and a
lifelong Democrat. Mrs. Van Gesel
awoke greatly disturbed over her dream.
Being of "a somewhat superstitious turn
of mind she placed implicit faith in
Xul .l,A htsl, Ia oG
called to the hired girl and told her
about the vision and counseled her to say
nothing of II 70 anybody. The girl, how
ever, told the dream in the village store
the first time she was sent there on an
crraud. The storckeeper laughed at the
dream. and when Turpin came into the
store that night chatred him over it, and
advised him To sell out and skip.
The news OF the widows dream flew
rapidly over the village and excited any
amount OF comment. Some derided it
rs II trick, others denounced it as a down
right lie, and a few acknowledged that
thore might he something of prophecy
IN IT. Gurpiu ut first made light of il as
much as anybody, and even offered to bet
that he would die the simple widower of
Mrs. Turpiu, In n spirit OF braggadocio
he went SO far rs to call ON the widow 10
afraid of an old woman who had out
witted seven good men. What occurred
at the widows house while he was there
is not known but he came away as
smiling as ever tie was at the village
store tho same evening. but SAID little
about lis visit except that the widow
was cheerful and in good health, and
likely to last for many years to come.
He left the store about 10 O'Clock, and
was seen walking over Farmer Togewen's
stubble field in the direction of his home
which stands on the opposite side OF the
village, in a grove of chestnut trees, near
the cranberry bog, generally known as
the widow Peterson's half acre." He
has not been seen since. His disappear
ance was noted after day or so, but it
was supposed that he was kept home by
sickness. On last Friday one of the
neighbors went 10 the house to inquire
about his health. He found the house
keeper, an old woman who hsd lived on
the premises for many years. She at
first said that Turpin was sick in bed
but afterwards said he was not at home.
Finally she took the visitor into the par
lor. and showed him q letter, which, she
said she had received from town in
Ohio. The letter was signed by Turpin.
1t explained his disappearance. The
housekeeper sail that rurPin was not at
home on the night on which he was last
seen at the store, nor had she ever seen
him afterwards, or known that he in
tended going away, or where he was, until
she got the letter. The following is
copy of the letter:
MANSFIELD, Ohio, Feb. 26, 1ss6.-DEAR
MISS MARTIN: l have gone away and /
will not come back; maybe not at at all.
/ have sold all my property to Josiah
Black. The reason i have gone is DO
not intend to marry the widow. 1 was
afraid might have had to some way, if
Istayed,
JAMES TURIN.