The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-06-24
AFTER MANY YEARS
A Georgia Bride and Groom are Re-
united.
From the Atlanta (Ga.) Journal.


When John HARDWOOD brought his bride
home in 1867, and babe her take possession
of the pretty cottage which he had built
and picturesquely furnished for her, he was
the happiest man in North Georgia. But
as he saw his wife of two hours or less
| throw herself into huge chair and heard
her sob for an hour, and knew that tears of
| grief, or sorrow, were being shed by the
sad eyes he loved so well, change came
came over him. He offered his bride ym-
pathy, but she repealed him. Another hour
OF crying was INDUCED in, when he begged.
/ IN tones OF affection, some explanation of
MS ldols conduct. She would offer him
none, told him she hated him, deteste1 him.
and. in anger, at midnight, he left the
house, bidding "A faithful servant to go to
the cottage and care for the young bride
he had deserted.
The most astonished, mortified and in
dlgnant man in the state, next morning,
was honest Farmer Murray. His daughter,
who the day before had welded the hand
| soonest and most prosperous young man in
the county, had come back to his roof.
Don't blame John, papa" was the only
explanation he received until the evening
mail came, bringing to him deed of all
the lands and property of John HARDWOOD to
Mrs. Lettie Murray Harwood. The prop
erty was worth $4,000. No other explana-
| ton followed
In 1880 people were dropping dead in
droves in New York from sunstroke. Near
| Wallacks theater, the driver of a florists
| wagon succumbed to the heat. Tender
| hands picked him up and he was carried to
hospital, where he seemed to recover
rapidly. In a few sane moments-for he
had been bereft Of reason-he asked the
attendant for pen and paper, and hurriedly
| writing a few lines, asked that the superin-
t1ndant al ho
it for him. A few moments later the strick-
en- man went into commissions aud an
| hour later died. The letter was handed to
| the superintendent next morning. He
| paled. 1t was addressed to his wife, for
John HARDWOOD was in charge of the hos
| pital under an assumed name. He went
| down stairs and gazed at the features of
the dead wagon driver There lay, in
death, Hollie Wentworth, his boy compan-
ion, his former friend and playmate, and a
| rival for the hand of Lettie Murray Went
worth and Harwood had been room-mates
at college and were as brothers to one an
other. HARDWOOD mailed the letter.
In 1885 Harry Murray, a steady, smart,
transformations young fellow, returned
fathers home iii North Georgia. Shortly
afterward, in game of football, he tripped
over John HARDWOOD, and both fell to the
| ground. In the accident Harwood
received a blow in the forehead
which marked him for life. As he arose
from the ground, bleeding and besmeared,
he accused Murray of kicking him. De-
mails, charges and counter charges, the lie
and blows passed, when the young mon
were parted and went their way avowed
enemies Next night Harry Murray was
found dead two hundred yards from his
fathers house, his skull crushed by a blow
from heavy blunt instrument. His watch
| and purse were gone.
At the Augusta National exposition in
1888, stern looking man of pleasant face
and neat appearance had charge of one of
the principal exhibits in the mechanical
hall. On Monday of the second week of the
fair he was explaining the workings of the
machinery he exhibited to a prominent
South Carolina cotton manufacturer, and
glancing around his eye met those
| of beautiful woman richly dressed.
about 40 years Of age The lady
tainted and was quickly removed to O
hack byEher companion, and driven from
the grounds. The exhibitor soon regained
his wanton composure, and continued at
his work of illustration and explanation.
That afternoon he received note, asking
him to call at a private residence. The
| missive was signed, "Lettie Murray Har
wood" and directed to "John Harwood
Exposition Grounds" The messenger had
been given minute directions as to whom
to deliver it.
When John Harwood was ushered into
the handsome parlors of one of the most
hospitable homes in Augusta that night he
looked like one dazed. A few minutes af-
terward a servant entered and handed him
this letter:
New YORK, June II, 1880,
Mrs. Lettie Murray Har1cood, Georgia.
lam dying 1 deceived you on the night of
| your marriage. l loved you too well to allow
John HARDWOOD to possess you, and in my despair
at seeing you actually married to him, | lied to
| you. John HARDWOOD did not kill your brother.
don't know who did, but l was with Har-
| wood the night of the murder and he did not
commit the crime HOLLIS WENTWORTH.
The reunion of the man and wife is too
sacred an incident to be more than mem
toned. They were lovers STILL
On the afternoon of the marriage Of John
Harwood to Lettie Murray, Hollie Went
worth was the gayest of the merry party
gathered at the Murray mansion. During
the festivities following the marriage. and
Just before the bride and groom left Lettie's
fathers home for Harwood's cottage.
Wentworth was noticed to call Iettie
aside and engage her in earnest conyersa-
ton for a few minutes. Then il was
that he told her that her brother. Harry
Murray, had been the victim of the ANGER
OF John HARDWOOD, recitng the foot ball
game incident to lend influence to his ac-
cuSation. Shortly after Harwood left
! North Georgia, Wentworth went too. and
neither was ever seea there again. Mr.. and
Mrs. John HARDWOOD are now residing in
Philadelphia, Pa, where the former holds
responsible position with large MANN
1acturlng establishment. Their Georgia
property has long since been sold.