The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-01-28
SOLD HIS FAMILY.
A Queer TRANSACTION Between a
Husband and Lover.
An Incident Which illustrates the Force
OF tho Old Saying That Truth Is
Stranger Than FictIon-A
Romantic Story.


A Stranger Than Fiction-A
Romantic Story.
6s
The details OF one of the most singu-
lar trades ever consummatcd in this
part of the country have just come to
light through the filing for record of a
deed of u tract of land in the western
part of the country Tho decd, says
the Fort Worth Gazette, is from Chris
Christensen to Nils Jensen, and conveys
eighty acres of farm land to the latter,
but the remarkable part of the decd is
the consideration given for the land.
1t reads as follows:
sFor and in consideration of one
woman, TO wit: The wife of Nils Jcn-
SEN"
The queer document caused an in
vcstigation to be made, and the follow
ing romantic story was learned by the
curious newspaper man who went to
the farm Of Christensen.
Nine years ago Christensen left
Sweden for this country to make his
fortune. and when he started he left in
the old country young woman who
was to become his wife as soon as he
became able to send after her.
This girl, Nina Petersen, was the
daughter Of poor drunken shoemaker,
who led his family dogs life and was
continually on the verge of starvation.
After Christensen left, Nina expected
to hear from him constantly, but no let
ter ever reached her, and, as 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 10 the conclusion
that he was recreant, and this idea was
fostered as much as possible by Jensen,
who was at last successful in getting
Mina's consent to marry him.
The drunken father also insisted that
the wedding should come off and, moro
to get away from such an unhappy
home than through love for Jensen,
Nina consented and they were married.
This was five years ago. After two
years of hard times in the old country,
Jensen determined to try his fortune
in America and with his wife and one
child 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 different parts of the state, but
was unable to get ahead financially.
The man and wife driftcd over the
state, doing work Ut such places as they
could get employment, until at last
they reached this city, and about n
month ago they heard that n man and
woman were wanted to work on farm
in the western part Of the country.
Jensen applied for the place, and as
chance would have it 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 tho woman's
appearance led Christensen to make in
quiries. and he discovered that it was
his long-lost love. He said nothing to
either Jensen or his wife, but few
shrewd questions showed him that Jen-
sen knew moro about the reason for his
letters never reaching Nina than the
husband was willing to acknowledge.
One evening he began telling story
to his hired man and wife and recounted
the story of his life from beginning to
the present He told how Jensen had
taken the letters from the post Office
and destroyed them, and when he got
through the latter was so overcome
with what he thought was Christen-
sens knowledge that he confessed his
infamy The three talked long into
the night about the matter, and before
the morning it was decided that Jensen
would give up the woman. who openly
said that she did not love him, and he
agreed TO get divorce and give up mis-
wife and child if Christensen would
give him n 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 of Christensen.
A divorce was procured and the mar
riage followed on the same evening
Jensen lives at the farm until lie can
build house. and the whole lot seem
happy over the new turn of affairs.
Transit Extraordinary.
a company has recently been formed
in Hamburg for the purpose of putting
into practical working shape novel
plan for the transportation of passen-