Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-08-27

HOPING TO MEET HER AGAIN
ATTEMPTED SUICIDE = TAKEN
TO AN ASYLUM.
NEW YORK, August 26.-More
strange than fiction and more pathetic
because true, and because there is no
way apparently in which the sad story
as in novels, can be made to come cut
happily" at the end, is the story of the
Rev. Mervyn Webster, who tonight
was committed to the insane pavilion
in Bellevue Hospital.
1t is the story of young minister
fresh from college, who fell IN love with
pretty face in his congregation-his
first church; married, only to find aft
er a few weeks of happiness that his
wife was a bad woman; became broken
hearted at the discovery; gave up his
paStorate and came to this city to
search for her; worked in the slums
and visited every place in which a
woman of her character might be
found; gradually became demented at
his failure and his awful experiences;
attempted suicide and finally loses his
mental balance and is placed in con-
fnement.
THE ROMANCE.
The Rev. Mervyn Webster is only p
years old. He is native OF Alabama,
where his father, William r. Webster,
is the vice president of a college. 1t
was in Alabama ne obtained his theo-
logical education. His first charge
was small church in Oneida, this
State, and there it was that, with all
the glow of his youthful enthusiasm
upon him, he beheld one Sunday, as he
exhorted his congregation, fair
young face among his auditors.
The preacher tell in love with his
fair auditor then and there, and, press
ing his suit with ardor, soon won her
hand. They lived happily for a brief
period when the cruel awakening
came. One day he came home uneX-
pectedly and found neighbours boy
ST his door with a note for his wife. He
intercepted it, thinking no evil, ana
gave it to his wife She, however, be-
traved herself when she read 1t.
He asked an explanation. She could
give none, and, laying aside all pre-
tensions to virtue, told him bluntly
the kind of woman she was. She had
not loved him, she had married him as
gamble" her home was not in Onel-
da. but in New York, and her mode OF
life in New York not at all like that
of clergyrnan's wife.
IN THE SDUMS.
She told him she was going back to
New York to resume her former lie,
and left him. He at first was dazed by
her brazen and heartless confessions.
When he recovered she had left him.
He threw up his pastorate, for he could
preach no more, and came to this city
and found hcme with the Rev. Or. w.
Fl. P. Miles, of No. 106 West Ninety
| fifth street.
The Rev. DR.. Miles is an evangelist.
| mission worker, and devotes his time
| to the poor of the slums. He breaches
at times in the Bennett Memorial
| Church. Second avenue. DR.. Miles re-
| ceived the young man kindly and
cheered him up as best he could. He
| gave him work in the slums and al
lowed him to preach in the Bennett
| Memorial Church.
| This had been going on for many
| months. The young preacher is of fine
| physique, handsome, healthy, whole
some and a good worker. He proved
a good assistant to Dr.. Miles, and SO
| long as he was sustained by the hope
| of finding his wife he kept up well.
But as his search for her progressed
without result he began to lose heart
and one night not long ago attempted
| suicide Dr. Miles brought him out OF
| that, and on last Monday night gave
a little party at his home in the hope
| Of cheering him. The party had the
| opposite effect and seemed to unbal-
ance him completely. Fearing further
| harm, DR.. Miles thought best to have
| him removed to Bellevue.