The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-03-06
A REBELLION ROMANCE.
Another Instance of the Strange Things
Civil War Makes Possible.
lRirmingham fAlal Snecial

birmingham (Al2.) Special.
Nelson Holden of Troupe county,
Georgia, joined one of the first regiments
from that state when the war broke out.
He left behind young wife, having been
married only few months Holden was
a good soldier, and only once during the
war did he obtain a furlough and visit
his wife. He was at home for short
time in the summer of 1868, and soon
after he returned to the war he was taken
prisoner. Before Holden had an oppor-
tunity of writing to his wife after his
capture, he was taken i'll with slow
malarial fever. When captured, Holden
had become separated from his
company, and his comrades thought
he had been killed in the
battle. Mrs. Holden's first notice OF
the supposed death of her husband was
contained in some resolutions passed by
his company, a copy of which was for
warded to the family Without making
any investigation, Mrs. Holden mourned
her husband as dead, while he was lin
gering between life and death in a north
ern prison. IL was many months before
he fully recovered from the effects of the
terrible fever. Holden was not released
until alter the close OF the war, and, weak
from his long illness, and penniiess, he
started to make his way to the little home
in Georgia. He was compelled to seek
employment several times to earn money
to continue his journey, and it was late in
the autumn of 1865 when Holden came
in sight of the little home. He was
wreck of his former sell, and fully realized
that it would be difficult for his own wife
to recognize him.
Arriving at the home he had left more
than two years before, Holden found it
occupied by strangers. Without disclos-
ing his identity he asked where Mrs
Holden was. "Oh, she married Chris
Jones and moved away last spring." was
the answer he received.
Holden was Frustrated by the shock Of
this startling intelligence, but, without
giving his name, he turned and walked
slowly away from the little home where
the happiest hours of his life had been
passed. He made no effort to find his
wife, but continued his iourned to CLAW
county, Alabama. Holden worked while
as farm laborer, and finally saved enough
money TO purchase small farm of his
own. In time the old love was forgotten
and he married again. Holden prospered,
and after few years owned one of the
best farms in the county. Several children
were born, and it was not long until his
first marriage seemed like dream. About
four years ago Mrs. Holden No. died,
leaving five children.
About year after the death OF his wife
MIR. Holden sold portion of his farm to a
man named Jones from Georgia Mr..
Jones built house and moved his family
to Alabama. Soon the two farmers be-
came good friends, but Mr.. Holden had
never been to the house of his neighbor,
and had never seen his wife.
Less than year ago Mr.. Jones died.
His neighbor, Mr.. Holden, of course at
tended the funeral, and caused no little
excitement by going off into dead faint
when introduced to the weeping widow OF
the dead man. That was no time or place
for explanations, and the next day after
the funeral Mr.. Holden called on his
former wife, and this time the recognition
was mutual.
Mrs. Jones' period of mourning will
expire in few days, and then she will be
quietly married again to the husband of
her youth. She has three children living
and Mr. Holden has FIVE. Only a few of
their most intimate friends know the
secret OF the former marriage.