The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1897-01-23
REUNITED AFTER THIaTY-FIyE YEARS.
A True Story Growing Out of the Civil
War that Surpasses Any
in Fiction.

A special dispatch to the Dallas News
from Denison, Tex, tells remarkably
romantic story OF the reunion of St. Louis
couple at San Antonio in the Lone Star
State Christmas Day, after separation Of
IS years. during which each supposed the
other dead. The couple are MIR. aud Mrs.
j. b. Slaiden. They left Denison on the
day of the happy reunion for this city
over the katy Flyer and are now sup
posed to be sojourning somewhere in the
Future Great. although diligent search
for them by reporters failed to locate
them.
Nowhere between the covers of book
Of fiction can there be found story 30
touchingly romantic as the life history of
this now aged pair. It embodies in all Of
its details the essentials Of q perfect novel
such as few if any OF the modern writers
of fiction have equaled either in its con-
ception or its working out.
Mr.. Slaidcn is now SIS, tall, handsome
man Of magnificent physique, with a
swarthy complexion that is thrown into
striking contrast with his snow white
hair. He has the mien of . prosperous
business man, but suffering and suspense
have written their sign manual about the
mouth and softened the steel gray eyes
that would otherwise have been penetrat-
ing in their glance.
The woman whom capricious fortune
has restored to his protecting arms is not
less strikin.ly handsome than the husband
whose name they bear in common. Sor-
row has brought the marks of premature
old age in the predominance Of the silver
threads that In,ermingle with the gold.
but the fair cheek has not bern robbed OF
its natural beauty and her beautiful blue
eyes are bright as they were when she as
bride Gade a loving farewell to him who
was nearest and dearest in all the world to
her rs long years ago.
When the Confederates fred the first
gun Of the Civil War at Fort Sumter in
1861, j. b. Slaiden, who was an ardent
Southern sympathizer, kissed his young
wife good-by and cast his fortunes with
the Southern army, leaving his bride of a
few months at the home of her parents in
a small town out in the State.
From the day they separated until she
fell fainting into his arms last Friday
they never met. One of his boYhood
companions who returned from the front
reported that he had been killed in battle,
and just before the close of the wax he
received news from q cOmrade that his
wife was dead. The last letter lie re-
celved from his wife told of the death of
his parents, and the announcement that
she too had gone to her rest almost fin
ished the wreck that forced marches in
the Louisiana swamps and the privations
of war had begun, and Slaiden decided
never to return to his native State.
He served till the last flag of the Con.
federacy was furled, and then, dreadlns
the shock of visit to his old home, he
joined a party bound for Old Mexico to
cast his fortunes with the sons Of the Mon
tezumas. On the way one of the party
died from exposure, and the other two
entered the silver mines and gradually
worked their way up till they became
mine owners in small way. Finally.
by good management and pursuing good
business methods, they became owners OF
one of the best paying mines in the Diaz
Republic.
Thus Slaiden had spent more than a
quarter of a century away from his native
country and his people. He had become
fixture in Mexico, spoke Spanish and
the greaser dialect like native, and never
held communication with any of his old
friends at home.
His wife mourned him as dead, and
finally made her home in St. Louis, where
she undertook the education of her son
who was born soon after his father entered
the army. This boy grew to mans estate
and became connected with a manufac
turer of mining machinery. A little over
month ago his fra, desiring to intro
duce its goods in Mexico, sent him there
to look over the field.
One day 10 hotel at San Luis Potos
father and son met. The old mine owner
remarked the similarity of names and
inquired about the young mans antece
dents.
The recital that followed satisfied him
that the American agent was his own child
Finally he gulped down the lump tina,
kept rising in his throat and ventured the
question: "And your mother; where is
she2"
Young Slaiden, unaware of the intensity
of the emotion that swsyed the wealthy
old miner, said simply:
"She is now at San Antonio"
The announcement of the joyful news
completely overcame the husband and
father, and as he swooned to the floor be
gaspcd:
"My God! She is my wife and this is
my son."
When the old man recovered conscious