The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-09-20
Gave Up Her Husband.
lNew York HeraldO

Nothing in human tragedy. not even
the famous instance Of John Ruskin.
can exceed the sublime self immolation
of an unlettered Pennsylvania woman.
who for the love of her husband is
willing to gi3e him up that he may
marry the girl who has supplanted her
in his affections.
Mrs. George Moss of Kingston, near
! Wilkesbarre is the wife of a humble
machiniSt She loves her husband, and
was happy woman until little dark
eyed slip of a country girl came into
his life Then for time she was torn
/ between jealousy and deadly hatred
of her strange rival This lasted I'M
til one day. when love sick. sick of
mind and body, the girl was brought
to his home by the husband, as the one
place of refuge he could find for her.
Did Mrs Moss turn her out as most
wives would have done? Did she leave
done? Did she upbraid her husband
for his wild audacity in Bringing his
sweetheart to the house?
No. This remarkable woman said,
with tears in her eyes, Come in,
Mary. you are sick and cold. You need
care and tender nursing. Come. You
shall have my bed and I viii nurse
you"
The people in this remarkable and
unusual drama are of the common
class Moss is a man of 80. an engi-
neer, a man of ordinary intelligence,
interested in politics and in his trade,
nothing mOTe--eNcept the girl. The
wife is what the wife of this class of
man usually is. an honest, hard work
ing. sensible minded woman, about Sc,
rather good looking, a good housewife,
good mother a woman of small
reading and little Imagination. Her
home is her sphere, her neighbors her
The girl, Mary Malady, is the daugh-
ter Of poor farmer. She is 10, pretty.
with dark eyes and a 1.-THE, graceful
form. She knows little except the work
of house and farm. Stunted intel
leetually by the narrow growth of the
countryside, she knew little of the
world when she was sent to Kingston
as a maid She got a place" and life
was monotonous and trying until she
met George Moss.
A glance as they passed each other
on the village street, a good night
or two, walk together, then an ap-
pointment-such is the beginning of
this remarkable story. In short, they
their love.
She was delighted, charmed with
having the attention of a man. He
found the pretty little country girl
more attractive to the eye than his
home loving and practical wife
This lasted some months Then her
parents got another place for her in
Iunkhannock. thirty miles from Kings
ton. There Moss followed her. getting
place in a machine shop and leaving
his wife and four children in Kings
ton In Tunkhannock their intimacy
was unrestricted. Finally Moss lost
his job and had to return to. Kingston.
Then began the wonderful chapter in
the life of Mrs. Moss.
Until then she had not known thar
her husband was seriously attracted to
any one but herself She had heard
tales Of dark-eyed girl. but gave
them little credence.
He's like all men," she had said to a
neighbOr He likes pretty face
She thought little more of it,
Then came the time when a letter
from Mary Malady to Moss told him
OF her illness and asked him to fad
some place for her 20 stay. He had
no money, he could not provide for her
and he did strange thing. He went
to his wife, weeping, and confessed the
whole affair More, he actually asked
If he could not bring the girl to his
own home and have his wife care for
her.
Who shall explain the sublime cour-
age or the sublime impudence of such
request, and who can diagnose the
feelings OF the wife? Not Mrs. Moss
certainly. for she said when asked
about it:
L did not know what to think. I
was sorry for the girl. awful sorry.
loved George, I love him yet. He was
so awful upset -well, 1 just cried.
Did L feel sighted or hurt at his neg
lect. at his love for another? I don't
know. I just felt sorry for the girl. 1t
wasn't right. know. But I did not
think of that 1 just cried
The tears indicated consent to Moss
and he forthwith hurried the girl to
the house. With a scene for a painter,
a novelist or a dramatist that meet
ing must have beeni But its details
are lost in the recollections of the
three. Doubtless they did not see what
was to be seen.
She just took me in her arms like
mother" says Mary Malady.
The women took to each other at
once" says Moss.
she was so thin and pitiful look
ing" said Mrs. Moss. that if 1 had
not known what to do before 1 Just
knew then I could not see her suf-
fer and l just opened my arms and
took her to me-
Then followed the most remarkable
part of the drama. In the room of the
wife whom she had wronged Mary
Maladys child was born. and had it
not been for Mrs. Moss faithful nurs-
ing and tender care the mother would
never have survived the long illness
which ensued.
Moss lived in the house all this time
and was as assiduous in his attentions
to the girl as ever. Mrs. Moss made
no objection. Asked why she allowed
it, she answered, calmly:
MARI loves him, and / love her so
much that 1 would not do anything to
hurt her or cause her pain. She want
ed him and 1 let her have him Yes -
she declared. placidly. but with look
OF dumb suffering in her eyes, Il loved
him. too; love him yet"
She watches over the girl like a jeal-
Gus mother, eager to crafty her every
wish, never happier than when the girl
evinces some love for her, eager for
her dress to be neat, for her to be
pretty and happy, devoting her whole
time almost to caring for the girl.
How long the mixed household might
have lived on there is no telling.
Kingston Is small and the neighbors
are inquisitive. The advent of the girl
in the house of the Mosses was spread
from tongue to tongue with speed
Finally the whole truth was known,
and known so we'll that all the facts
were pat. Then the case was laid be-
fore the United Charities association
of WilSesbarre and the facts became
public property.
The officers took Mary Malady and