Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1900-04-26
HIS LIFE BLASTED BY A WIFE
WHO DISGRACED HIM.
ROMANCE OF a SOLDIER
Gatacre Left His Country Never to
Return, as Did the Woman and
Lover-Some Inside History in
Connection With a Valiant Fighter
in South Africa.

~@-~~~@-~
to England alive, and hereby hangs a
story the like of which has never been
equaled in drama, fiction or actual
life.
Three persons took this solemn
pledge. They all used the same words:
Il do hereby solemnly pledge myself
not to return to England alive
One of these persons was Col. Gaia
ere.
Another was Col Gatacre's wife.
who died recently in southern Cali
fornia.
The third person was Capt. Fitzger-
aid, formerly of her majesty's service,
now resident of America
Some years ago Col. Gatacre was or
dered to Dublin to take command of
the Connaught rangers, then stationed
in that city. He took with him his
beautiful young wife. She became a
favorite with society. Military society
is always at a premium, and a military
belle is the belle of all bellies. Mrs.
Gatacre became military belle, and
S%AS ~~@Ns eAiht5 W ~ q ihiAiCals lOdol.
Col. Gatacre himself was popular in
his dignified way-a calm, stern man.
scrupulously technical in his obser-
vance of the station he occupied and of
those with whom he associated. His
wife he treated with the soldierly
chivalry of man who was as sure of
her position as he was of his own,
and knew she would maintain it,
whatever laxities she might indulge
in by way of diversion from the lone
Aness that she sometimes felt as a
result of her enforced absence from
her society.
There was certain handsome Of
ficer in one of the Dublin regiments
at the time Col. Gatacre and his wife
were there-named Fitzgerald. Good
looks were small part of his posses
sions-he was distinguished by birth
and by fortune; an aristocrat with
large estates, brave man, and a
strong one; soldier for the love of
fighting, and one whom no woman
thus far had been able to win from
bachelorhood.
Mrs. Gatacre was the social queen Of
military Dublin in those days, but COL
Gatacre was not the social king. On
societys throne the queens consort
had to be of society's own selection.
Society chose Capt Fitzgerald.
One day Col Gatacre found society
whispering. This would have inter-
ested him If the whispering hadn't
ceased the moment he came within
earshot. When it occurred several
times and had become Enthusiastically
of personal significance, the colonel
tapped one of the whisperers on the
shoulder and demanded to know what
was going on that he might not prop
erly hear. The whisperer was a dear
friend of the colonel, so he carefully
broke the latter's heart with a rumor
-as friends have habit of doing.
The rumor connected Mrs. Gatacre
with the handsome captain.
1t was only a suggestion. of course,
and the coloners friend hoped there
was nothing in it; but that was what
the people were saying, and the col
onel's friend, neglecting to state that
he was one Of the people himself, sym
pathetically thought that the colonel
ought to know about it.
The colonel grimly assured the
friend that at last he did know about
it, and was very much obliged for the
knowledge. Then he turned his back
on the friend and went TO crave an au-
dience with Dublin's social queen.
The interview between husband and
wife was brief, and, in effect, some
thing like this:
81 am informed, madam, that you
are in love with Capt. Fitzgerald. Is
| it true?"
1T is true"
81 thank you for your candor. It
will prevent any unnecessary oompli-
cations. 1t may preclude the necessity
of my killing Capt. Fitzgerald. That
will depend. of course, upon his being
equally candid, and upon both of you
being willing to abide by the terms /
shall make for all three of u.s."
What are the terms, Col Gatacre?'
THAT Capt. Fitzgerald shall leave
the country Immediately and take you
with him"
And your"
Il shall leave England forever"
"Your commission in the army"
THAT can be arranged viii be
transferred to a colonial post. Denied
this favor from my sovereign. who
alone is left me to serve, ! shall re-
sign my commission and go abroad, an
outcast unranked by my country as /
am otherwise degraded by my wife"
Il am sorry. could not help IT, i
will do anything you ask, and ] shall
pray for your forgiveness when / am
gone away. Or I will stay and let
let Capt Fitzgerald go. I will stay
or better still. will go with you"
You will go with Capt. Fitzgerald,
and as far away from me as he can
take you. You must both pledge
yourselves never to return to England
alive. Tell him this for me. Tell him
also II ever see him again shall Kill