Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1900-04-22

promise, wrote to her at frequent in
| tervals But never a word came from
my wife, the letters having evidently
been intercepted by her parents. Not
| knowing ny address, she was unable to
write me.
| "The next six months were months
of great sorrow to me. Finally, | de-
| termined to write mutual friends in the
community and inquire about my wife.
| In the course of time an answer came
/ indeed, a sad one to me. 1t told OF
the financial failure of my father-in-
law and of his suicide resulting there
+ from and the death of Mrs. Cole. Two
weeks later, just as | was about to
| leave for New Jersey, another letter
came, filling my cup of sorrow and
misfortune to the brim My wife had
died broken hearted leaving a baby
daughter. The child had been taken
by a distant relative of the Coles,
kindly disposed Baltimore lady.
Il at once made trip to New Jer-
sey and Baltimore, but owing to my
lack of means | failed to locate the
child. Heartsore and discouraged l
came back to Ohio, where l have since
resided most of the time in Jefferson
county.
IN April, 1896, l received a copy of
a matrimonial paper published in Bos-
ton. l saw the description OF young
lady living in West Virginia, who
wished to correspond with gentle
man Thinking the young lady per-
haps might be living just across the
river and not far away, | wrote letter
and forwarded it. through the publish
err In a short time l received a reply
from Charleston, w Va. A long cor
respondence followed
Il can offer no explanation or
reasons for doing this. | seemed to be
strangely fascinated by the young wo-
mans letters, and to be drawn toward
her by some unknown power. On
Thanksgiving Of that year l went over
to Charleston to see her. We were
wonderfully pleased with each other
at once. To be sure there is quite a
difference in our ages, but 1t was
such a strong attachment we became
engaged and the wedding was set for
Christmas eve.
''She was but the adopted daughter
of a plain, honest couple, but | can
never forget that dear girls face. 1t
seemed to be before me continually. l
came back home, and prepared for myf
marriage. l rented a small farm ana
told my neighbor5 of my intended we'd
ding. They promised to receive me
and my young wife royalty upon our
arrival from Charleston.
Il arrived in Charleston two or
three days prior to our wedding day
and Immediately went to the home of
the girl. Lucy and l were sitting in
the parlor talking over. our plans for
the future. She had brought out an
old album l had never seen before.
While looking through it, l was sud
denly startled to find a photograph of
a young woman resembling my wife
of 20 years pretious.' l was amazed
at the striking likeness. In a few mo-
ments / had no doubt of it being a
photograph of her betrayed my emo
ton. Lucy asked what was the mat
ter. l told her | would tell her an
other time. but l asked her OF what
personiit was the photograph.
why, that's my mother, who died
when | was a mere baby.
@Lucy then told me her mothers
maiden name was Cole. but that she
had never been told who her father
was. Wnen she nad been ADOPTED In
to the family where she made her
present home she had received their
name.
No words can portray my thoughts
for few moments. l was amazed.
The magnitude of the crime of uncon-
sciously marrying my own daughter
dumfounded me. Lucy thought me i'll
and called for assistance. When I
came to my senses, / clasped her to
my heart, not as my bride, but as my
long-lost daughter l understood then
for the first time the peculiar power
that drew me to her since the time
l received her first letter"