The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1902-02-05
A SAD CASE.
Worse Than che Wages Of Sin.

?
Elliott, wealthy resident Of this
place, hiss his divorced wife working
for him as servant.
She ran away with his goodman q
year ago. Then the man deserted her
and she come back to beg her hus.
bands forgiveness. He would not
give her this, but agreed TO engage
her as paid servant, because
"the children would find her use
full" @
Mrs. Elliott accepted the situation
thankfully. She takes the ordera of
her husband and her children more
humbly than if she were servant in
the ordinary way. The Elliott fami-
ly, at any rate, has thoroughly solved
the servant girl problem, whieh gives
such infinite I .ouble to most house
holds in this country.
Not only does Mrs. Elliott humbly
take orders from the family, but also
from the cook. She helps in the
kitchen, cleans her husbands shoes,
waits at table and generally acts as q
maid Of all. work. She is refined
and educated woman.
Elliott is a retired real estate
dealer, who now passes his time on g
model farm near here. It is splen-
did place, stocked with valuable and
thoroughbred animals Of all kinds.
The owner is very rich and there is
no reason why he should make his
wife servant as matter Of econo.
my.
The people Of Harrison county were
shocked to hear-a yeer ago that Mrs..
Elliott had rnn away with the family
coachman, Walter Shannon. It ap-
pears that, one evening Mrs. Elliott
sent word to her husband that she
you'd not come down to dinner. Half
a. hour later she and the coaohman
were seen by the country people
driving along the road toward New
Athens in one Of Mr.. Elliott's bug
gies.
It was an elopement. Shannon, who
was very handsome fellow, and a
smart coachman, had fascinated his
employers wife. Mrs. Elliott had
often been seen talking to him, but
her husband had no cause for sus-
pioion, and he paid no attention to
such .rifling signs. The actual news
of the elcpement was an absolute sur
prise to him. He was mad with rage.
Everybody who knew him believed he
would kill both the guilty ones If he
could find them. AS months passed
his rage gave way TO fixed, logged
look Of resentment.
Six months after the elopementM Mrs.
Elliott appeared at her parents home
in Belmont County. She was heart
broken, ill, half-starved. Shannon
had deserted her. Itappeared that no
sooner had she run away than che be-
gan to be disgusted with her compan-
ion. She realized that she had de-
serted an honest, If not very agreea-
ble man for worthless fellow.
Mr.. Elliott began suit for divorce
at Cadiz. Mrs. Elliott engaged coun-
sci and put in defense. An order
was made granting her temporary ali
mony. A week before the date set for
the trial she went to her lawyers and
told them that she had arrang. il with
her husband and chat she had no fur
ther use for their services. When they
asked her what she had done she said
it was no business Of theirs. Mr.. Ell
lott then obtained his divorce without
opposition.
Then came the second surprise of
this etory--a snrprise that put the
elopement entirely in the shade. Mrs.
Elliott was back in her, husband 8
homo and working 90 servant. The
first neighbor who called after the
divorce was astounded TO see the
former wife open the door dressed
neatly but plainly as household SER.
want.
The whole truth gradually came
out. Mrs. Elliott had thrown hersslf
on her husband's g mercy. She told
him that he ought to take care Of her
for the sake of the children. She was
ashamed to 60 anywhere else. She
promised to do anything he liked to
work for him, TO black his boots, to
scrub che door.
Elliott was still extremely bitter.
he thought slowly over her appeal
and finally said he:would take her back
TO his home as o servant. He would
e Il i