The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1892-01-09
ALARM FOR A WIFE.
An illustration of an Incident Whers
"Truth is Stranger than Fiction"

The details of one Of the most singular
trades ever consummated in this part OF
| the country have Just come TO light
| through the fling for record of deed
to tract of land in the western part of
the country. The deed is from Chris
Christensen to Nils Jensen, and conveys
eighty acres of farm land to the latter,
but the remarkable part of the deed is
the consideration given for the land
1t reads as follows:
For and in consideration of one wom-
an to wit: The wife of Nils Jensen. p"
The queer document caused an investiga-
tion to be made, and the following ro-
mantle story was learned by the curious
newspaper man who went to the farm of
Christensen.
Nine years ago Christensen left Swe-
den for this country TO make his fortune,
and when he started he left in the old
country young woman who was 10 be
his wife as soon as he became able to send
for her.
This girl, Nina Peterson was the
daughter of n poor drunken shoemaker
who led his family dogs life, and was
continually or the verge of starvation.
After Christensen left, Nina expected
to hear from him constantly, but no let
ter ever reached her, and she had no idea
to what part of the United States he
went She could not write to him
Among the young men of the town was
Jensen, who also looked with loving eyes
upon Nina, but she would have nothing
to do with him for her heart was true to
Chris. As year after year went by with
no word from her absent lover, the maid
came to the conclusion that he was rec
reant, and this idea was fostered as much
as possible by Jensen, who was at last
successful in getting Mina's consent to
marry bin.
The drunken father also insisted that
the wedding should come off, and more
to get away from such an unhappy home
than through love of Jenson, Nina con-
sented and they were married. This was
FIVE years ago. After two years of hard
times in the old country, Jensen deter
mined to try hie fortune in America, and
with his wife and one chilu he started for
the new world.
After wandering about for some time
| they landed in Nebraska with no money
Jensen obtained work on farms in differ
ent parts of the state, but was unable tC
get ahead financially.
The man and wife drifted over the
state, doing work at such places as they
| could get employment, until at last they
reached this city, and about a month age
! they heard that man and woman were
wanted to work on a farm in the western
part of the country. Jenson applied foI
the place, and as chance would have II
the man and woman were employed on
| the farm of Christensen, but the people
were so changed that no recognition was
had.
Something familiar in the womans ap-
rearance led Christensen to make in
| quiries, and he discovered that it was his
! lOug-lost love. He said nothing TO either
| Jensen or his wife, but a few shrewd
questions showed him that Jensen knew
more about the reason for his letters
never reaching Nina than the husband
was willing to acknowledge.
One evening ne began telling a story
to his hired man and wife, and recounteI
| the story of his life from beginning t
the present. He told how Jensen nae
| taken the letters from the postothce and
destroyed them, and when he got
| through the latter wa so overcome witt
what he thought was Christensen ,,
knowledge that he confessed his infamy
The three talked long into the nigh
about the matter, and before the morning
came it was decided that Jensen woulc
give up the woman, who openly said she
did not love him, and he agreed to get
divorce and give up bis wife and child
if Christensen would give him start in
! the world. Nina was willing and anxious
and the result was that the deed TO the
eighty acres of land was passed and the
woman is now living as the wife q
Christensen. A divorce was procured and
the marriage followed on the same even
ing. Jensen lives at the farm until he
can build a house, and the whole lot seem
happy over the new turn of PEP'~s-
! Fl. Worth Gazette.