Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1889-03-06
A Southern Romance.
AN ALABAMIAN's SEPARATION FROM HIS
wIFE-EAcH MARRIEs AGAIN.

AN ALABAMIAN's SEPARATION FROM HIS
wIFE-EAcH MARRIEs AGAIN.
F. NJ. Cooper, q farmer, who lived in
Shelby county, Ala, at the breaking out oil
the war, has turned up, after an absence Of
twenty five years, to find his wife married
again and the mother of five children by
her last husband. She has been as true tC
/, her first love, however. as Cooper, as be
| has a second wife in Texas, where he has
been living for twenty years. When the
war broke out Cooper was living on his
farm, few miles south Of Calera. in Shelby
c,un.y. Mr.. Cooper was then young man,
and had been married only five or six years'
| He had two children-a sou and daughter
| Cooper Joined company and went to the
front A short time after Mr.. Cooper went
| to the war q second son was born. Only
once did Cooper obtain furlough and
visit his family. His second son was thet
an infant. After few days with his fami
| " Cooper returned to the front, and soor
after the bloody battle of Franklin, Tenn,
bis wife heard that he had been killed
Nothing more was heard OF Cooper unit
about two weeks ago. After mourning the
death of her husband for two years, Mrs
Cooper married q man named Gibson. Mr.
Gibson took charge of the children. DE
was q kind husband and the family lived
happily. Five children have been born OF
this second marriage, and the two oldest
are now grown.
The three Cooper children are all living.
John Cooper, the Oldest son, married and
is living near his mother. Through all
these years it never occurred to Mrs Glib
son that her first husband might be living.
She had incurred him as dead, and was
happy iu the love of her second husband
and ,he five Ii tie children. About two
weeks ago John Cooper received letter
postmarked Sherman, Texas. He opened
it, and glancing first at the signature found
it signed ..Your father, F M. Cooper"
To say the young man was surprised
would not express it. The letter vas a
long one. but Conper hurried through it. Ii
was from his father, and the old gentleman
explained at length the cause of his long
and mysterious absence. A short time be-
lore the close of the war he was captured
and taken to Northern prison. In prison
he became dangerously i'll. The war was
over before be was released, and then it
was some time before he YVES able to begin
his long journey home. At last hs reached
Alabama, foot sore and wea-y, but when
more than one hundred miles from his home
he learned that his wife had married again
He was heart broken over the news, and
after resting few days he turned his face
westward. He finally located in Texas,
xhere he prospered, and in few years
Owned q comfortable home. Mr. Cooper
finally became Presbyterian minister, and
several gears ago married again. He closed
his letter by making, many questions about
his family and stating that as soon as pos
sible he intended visiting his old home in
Alabama. Sunday night the old gentleman
reached the home of his son in Shelby
county. Monday he sent for bis wife, and
the meeting between them was very affect
ing. Mr. Cooper says he will return tn bis
wife and home in Texas, leaving Mrs. Glib
son to her last husband.