Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1894-09-13

this place is that of a raw-boned old
horse drawing cart in which Is seated
man and a woman OF strange, and
even romantic, history, in spite OF their
shabby unplcturesqueness today. They
are both of them over fifty years old.
ana have been In this country now
FOR nearly thirty years. Their fellow
collntrymcn, who knew them In Cor
many, say that at the time OF the
Franco-prussan war the man. who
was young lawyer OF considerable
talent was onseripted aud Obliged to
serve in the German army, although
he was just about to be married.
He returned home after the war to
hear that his fiance was on the eve
Of marriage with former lover, and
without pausing to inquire into the
truth OF the report made his way at
once to the girls home and found his
rival with her, The man. whose guilty
conscience did not exonerate him .of
an attempt to win the girls favor,
broke and ran at the sight OF the In.
furlated lover, leaving the girl to face
him alone
She was SO frightened that she could
only stammer out excuses, and mad
dened at this seeming confession OF
treachery the sol Ter rushed at tho
girl, and, SELLING his sword, forced
open her mouth, and, saying that he
would cut out the tongue that betrayed
and lied 20 him, did so, aud tlinglng the
discovered tongue at her feet went
home to await the consequences of his
deed. The girl tainted, and her par
ents, who had been out. coming In
and finding her thus cried out that she
was dead. This brought the police and
a doctor. The former being told the
name OF the culprit by The rival went
to take him into custody, while the
doctor brought he MANNED girl to and
learning what the matter was tried to
stop the flow OF blood. This was al
most a work of despair, but finally
her strength and the physicians skill
prevailed
When the poor creature learned that
her lover had been arrested and that
they wished her to testify against
him, she not only refused to do the
first, but went to the police OF the city
in person and offered to take an oath
that her lover had not committed the
crime. He had already, however, nd
mitted 1t, aud his trial took place.
But the faithful sweetheart de-
nanded to be taken to the judge who
was TO try the case, and submitted to
him statement that her lover had
acted on n jealous impulse, and that
he had been justified In believing her
false. This, together with the fact
that he had been cruelty torn away
from his bride almost on the eve OF
marriage, and that he had served
brayely all through the war; rising
through courage alone from the rank
! Of sergeant to that OF lieutenant, served
10 mitigate the severity OF his punish.
mcnt, and he was sentenced 70 three
years Imprisonment.
The colonel of his regiment, also n
| fellowcltzen, knowing fully the cir
! cumstances Of Tie case. aud touched
by the suf'erdngs Of the faithful girl
, and hot-brained, though brave, lover,
made still further efforts In his behalf
and he was pardoned by the emperor
after Il months Imprisonment. They
were married at once and came to this
country, where they have little farm,
adding to their mcager income by sell.
ing milk and vegetables.
The woman for years allowed her
ncighbors to think that she was born
d mute though many suspected her
silence as being mere sulkiness, as she
could evidently hear distinctly, but not
long ago some emigrants from their
native place saw and recognized them
and told their sad history to the com
munity.