Morning journal and courier., 1889-01-31
STRANGER THAN FICTION. An old Soldier Finds Ills Wife in a PoOrh0use After Twenty Seven

Poorhouse After twenty Seven
 Years.
 From the Milwaukee sentinell
 real romance, not inclosed in covers, came to light yesterday, which again proves the saying that truth is stranger than fc- tion. Frank Hall, veteran of many bat ties, who was in the city yesterday, is the hero of the story, and his experiences of the past week were such as rarely happen out side the confines of the playhouse or the pages of novel.
 In the year 1860 Hall, then comparatively a young man, lived in Waukeshs, where he wss employed in a flour mill. In his assooi- ation with the young people of the village he became acquainted with pretty Annie Rivers, then bonnie lass of twenty, and mutual attachment sprung up. He wooed and won, and on @ sunny day the church bells rang merrily for the union of two hearts.
 Shortly after came the breaking out of the war and it's consequent excitement, and among the first to volunteer for the defense of the nation was Frank Hall. The last mo- ment arrived, and having bade an affection ate farewell to his weeping bride, he entered the cars and was taken to an Illinois regi- ment, to which he had asked to be assigned. In the Forty-second Illinois volunteers he went to the front, and none were more fire. quent in writing home at all possible oppor- tunities than he. The letters from his wife came regularly at first, one informing him of the birth of son; then they began to drop off. Finally there was 8 long silence, although he continued to send home his pay. One day when the soldiers mail was handed out there was a letter for Frank Hall which brought sad news It was from friend in Wisconsin who, in scarcely legible hand, -s-.kI |! -skl -E Is wife.
 In 1868 Hall was disabled and received discharge at Atlanta, going to hospital for @ time. On mending he re-enlisted, this | time in the Thirteenth Ohio, and served un- | til the close of the war. He determined to continue in his oountry's service and enlist ed in the Sixth cavalry ot the regular ser- vice, being sent to Texas. In 1869 he left the service and settled in Kansas, afterward going to Washington territory, thence to Michigan, and later to Iowa, where he has lately resided at Fort Madison. A few weeks ago he left Fort Madison to | visit relatives in Illinois and Wisconsin, and the intention of locking over familiar ground | at Waukesha and learning the story of his wife's death and the whereabouts of the son l he had never seen. On Monday he alighted | from the cars at the western Saratoga, and, | although scarcely recognizing the town, man. aged to see fam1uar sign. It pore the name of one of the old mill proprietors. The man was not in, but he was informed as
 to where Joe Gaudy, relative of his wife, could be found, and thither he went, having hired a livery rig. MT. Gaudy was espied in
 front of the house designated, and he called ! out to him:
 1 "Hello, Joei'
 l "Who are you?" asked the astonished Joe Hall made himself known and invited Gaudy to seat in the buggy. The convsr
 sation turned to the subject of the Rivers family, and Hall asked where his wife was buried.
 stShe's no more dead than you are. She's
 down to the poorhouse."
 A more surprised man than Frank Hal
 never breathed. Explanations followed ano
 they started of toward the institution 1T question. It seemed that brother of Hall'l wife had died at about the time he had heard