Evening star., 1897-04-03
SHE WAITED IN VAIN.
Sought for Years to Aven9e Her Hus-
bands Murder and Died Unsatisfled.

bands Murder and Died Unsat1shed.
when I was last In Arizona" remarked
the well-dressed New York travelling sales
man to a Star reporter, II happened upon
a bit of news which you newspapers fell
lows haven't got onto"
There are good reasons. no doubt, why
those out there didn't get it, responded
the reporter, but one here has it now.
What Is it?
Il hadn't thought of that smiled the
New Yorker, land you shall be the first to
get it. 1t only occurred in February, and
in remote locality so it is not surprising
that the details have not been printed.
was met at a small station twenty-five
miles or so out of Phoenix by a customer
and friend of mine, who was to drive fif-
teen miles to his place. out in the wilds.
About two miles from the end of our jour-
ney we met a funeral procession of four or
hve buckboards, couple of buggies. seven
or eight wagons and a dozen people on
horseback My friend stopped, and we took
OH our hats while the strange-looking pro-
cession passed
Who is it?' 1 asked, as we moved on.
The most remarkable woman in this
neighborhood, he replied, and, in response
to my further inquiry, he said: Thirty
years ago she was the wife of a miner who
had a claim about five miles from here, off
in the direction from which the funeral
came. She was at that time about twenty
IL,
the oldest about five years old. They were
thrifty couple, and were in considerably
better fix than most of their neighbors.
They had moved into that locality the
strength of rumor that there was gold
to be had for the digging. and the husband,
who gave his name as Charles Handy, be-
gan the elusive search for the yellow metal.
Back of the couple was a story, which no.
body In that section knew. but the shadow
of it shone through the visit of Il stranger
who seemed to be convinced that Handy
had a good thing in the mine he work
ing, and day after day he hung around the
miner, watching him he opened up still
more the prospect of wealth.
One day Mrs. Handy, who was ro-
manticaly devoted to her husband, and
evidently of much better breeding than he
carried to her husband his dinner, and, as
she approached him, though not yet in
sight, she called, and he answered, and
began saying something to her which was
cut short by the crack of a gun across the
guch, at least quarter of mile away
When Mrs. Handy reached her husband
only enough life remained for him to tell
her that it was the stranger who had muir
dered him, and that he would return, and
she must wait at the mine and serve him
as he had served her husband. An hOul
later she found, by her sister, who
lived with her, sitting by the mine with
her husbands gun resting in the crook OF
her arm and staring with fixed eyes dowr
the gulch.
They coaxed her back to the house as
night approached, but she at her pos1
next morning, and every day for thirty
years she waited by that mine for her hus
bands murderer. Rain or shine. hot ol
cold, during the hours in which he worked
his widow watched faithfully until a montt
ago when her fatal illness came. Gentle
at all times, she remained SO, unless an eff
fort was made to prevent her going to the
mine. Then she became wild and danger
GUS. and she was permitted to do as she
pleased. Nor would she stay in the little
cabin they built for her. She would watch
as she did that first day. and, though the
gun was empty and rusty. she still clunt
to it, and it was in her arms when she
died
"'Of course the murderer never appearel
again. said my friend in conclusion, ant
Just why he should have killed Handy was
never known. Whatever it was. the children
who have grown up in the thirty year:
since their fathers death, have never
learned the secret from their mothers sis
ter who has brought them up. and all the
chances are that they never will know
What is more | think it would not be al
agreeable knowledge to them if they die
have it