Evening journal., 1905-08-18
The Strange Coincidence
OF MIR. and Mrs. Brown


their hearts with their former part /
ners, but they liked each other. each I
needed a companion. and each had a {
high opinion Of the others integrity.
A few months after the marriage |
Mrs. Brown took up newspaper and
turned pale. From that time forward
she tried In vain 20 conceal from her
husband that she was much troubled
She denied having anything to distress
her. but Mr. Brown noticed that she
was watching the newspapers, which
she had never been used to reading be-
fore.
One evening the husband instead of
coming home at the usual time sent
note to his wife saying that he had
been suddenly called out of town. on
his return he seemed very much de-
pressed and. taking his wife into the
library, drew her down beside him and
said:
MY dear I have a confession TO
make-a confession / must preface by
story. There is a romance connected
with my former marrlage-not only n
romance. but a mystery. Twenty eight
years ago I loved and was loved We
met at a summer resort. While strolling
amid mountains, listening TO the tum-
bling streams or watching the setting
sun gid the peaks. our love was born.
"Our homes were i'm different cities.
When we returned TO them both 70
ceived a fat refusal TO our union from
our parents We were both very young.
and there was no money in either fam
/ ily Under the circumstances IL was
pointed out to us that marriage would
be suicidal.
ave resolved on an olopement had
! 5000 in bank, which had come from a
legacy. This | divided with the girl
loved, and we agreed 90 meet on a Ger
tain steamer that was to sail for
Havre To elude pursuit &c was agreed
that we would remain in concealment
until the ship was well out at sea.
We met az ciergyman's study IN
the city, from which we were to sail,
and were married; then separated 10
meet on the steamer The morning
after sailing I searched the ship for my
wife and searched in vain. She was
not on board"
He paused Mrs. Brown was draw
| ing long breaths. eco on" she said
! impatiently.
you can imagine my agony. doomed
to cross the ocean without her. The
days seemed endless till / could reach
the other side and return. But on the
voyage I was robbed Of what little
money l had left and was unable TO
purchase a return ticket went to
work to earn the money TO do so. but
1 III success attended my efforts, and I
entered upon a life of poverty BY the
time / got enough together for the trip
it seemed TO me that to return would
be useless. Doubtless my wife's par
ents had secured for her an annulment
Of our marriage. Instead Of going
home went to Australia. A few
years ago / came TO America with no
more means than had when left.
zone day / saw it announced in a
newspaper that my wifes parents had
died. leaving property. and my wife
the only heir, had eloped years before
and had never since been heard from.
! laid claim TO the estate as her hus.
band. and in time it was paid over to
me-"
Mrs Brown was looking into her hus-
bands face intently, eagerly, and at
this last announcement drew a long
breath.
go on"
Il dare not"
go on"
"Our marriage Is void A few DAYS
ago I saw It announced that my wife
had returned and claimed the estate"
Mrs. Brown burst into n merry peal
Of laughter. so happy, 50 exhilarated,
that her husband feared the news had
made q mental wreck Of her.
"She is an impostorr she fairly
shouted. Il am your wife. when we
eloped boarded by mistake a steamer
bound for Rio de Janeiro. There I
taught school for twenty years. Then,
hearing that an estate had fallen to
you. returned and did exactly what
you did with mine. / claimed it as
your wife"
"Aly dear" moaned the husband,
"the blow has been too much for you"
But Mrs. Browns arms were around
his neck, and she was beside herself
with a natural, not an insane, joy.
do you mean said the husband
Il mean that what / say is true
though / would not have believed it in
another case Two persons knowing
the circumstances Of our disappearance
and Inheritance have conspired to per
senate us and secure our estates. Since
I saw a notice that you had returned
ana claimed your estate l have been
like you, In misery"
The husband was at last convinced
much TO his relief and joy.
MY dear" he said presently, there
Is q psychological feature Of this ease
as strange as the coincidence. We botl
buried our hearts years ago, yet wher
each believed the other had returned
we were miserable
Mrs. Brown hung her head
"That was" she stammered. 'be
cause l loved my second husband bet
er-better-than"-
''The first, and I did the same in Tho
case Of my two wives"
n When the cases Of the claimants
y came up Mr., and Mrs. Brown found f
more difficult to prove their identity
than they had supposed. The pretend
crs, whose evidence was first admitted