Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-01-10
READS LIKE A NOVEL.
Reunited After More Than 30 Years.
Thought Each other Dead.

A dispatch from Denison, Tex, says: A
tall, handsome, white-haired man, ac-
companied by lady with silvered locks,
none the less attractive and handsome
than the man, drew the attention Of pas
sengers at the Union depot Thursday
last The couple were Mr.. and Mrs. j. b.
S'aiden. recently reunited after a separa-
ION OF, nearly thrty-hve years. The old
gentleman and his wife stopped IN the
city a short time waiting for the Katy
afternoon train for the north, having ar
rived here on the belated Houston and
Texas Central train too late TO make con-
nection with the Katy flyer
The couple, each of whom has IVeu
more than two score and ten, were en-
route to st. Louis, after having been re-
united In a most romantic manner. A
portion Of their story was obtained by the
News reporter, and reads as remarkably
romantic as the most cleverly construct
ed fiction.
In 1851. when the first guns in the civil
war were fired Mr.. Slaiden. a southern
sympathizer, cast his fortunes with the
southern army. leaving his bride at the
home of his aged parents in a small MIS-
souri, town. taking up his musket for
what he believed 10 be right. He served
till the last flag of the Confederacy was
furled, but before the war was over ne
was informed that his wife and parents
were dead, and instead OF returning 20
fortunes with the sons of the MOntezumas.
one Of his boyhood companions, 1t seems,
who had gone TO the southern army with
him, had returned to the Missouri home
before the war was over, ana informed
the wife that her husband had been slain
on the field of battle. To the husband the
same man wrote that the wife was dead.
After the surrender Slaiden. in company
with two companions, set out Tor Mexico,
10 start life over again, he believing Wlfe
mar IUTlltI
interest In what had once been his own
country. The three men travelled 10
Mexico. enduring many hardshlps ana
priyations one of them dying from the
Effects OF the Journey soon after reaching
that country. The two remaining set
about looking for something to do Tney
entered the silver mines and worked
their way gradually up till they became
mine-owners I'm a small way. Finally, by
good management and pursuing s9od
business methods. the two partners pc
came owners OF one OF the best-paying
mines in the Diaz republic.
Thus SlaIden had spent more than q
quarter OF a century away from his native
country and his people. He had become a
fixture I'm Mexico. spoke Spanish ana the
groaser dialect like native, and never
held communication with any OF MS Slu
friends ia the old home. they all be-
lleying him dead. The wife mourned her
husband dead, never having heard from
him, and she believed the story that ne
had persisted on the neld or Dattie; Sne
took up her permanent residence In ST;
Louis, where she educated her son ana
heir that arrived few months after the
husband left for the South. The young
man was educated in the Mound city. ana
In the ripper years OF his manhood became
connected in a responsible way with one
OF the large manufacturing machinery
companies OF the country. His flrm,. de-
string 10 introduce some new kind or
mining machinery into Mexico. sent the
young man, who bore the fathers name,
to Mexico. to look over the situation ana