The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-06-07
THE EVENING STORY
A Strange Coincidence.


quiet affair. with but few guests. Mr..
Brown, a widower. had married Mrs.
Brown, widow. They had buried
their hearts with their former part
ners, but they liked each other, each
needed a companion, and each had a
nlgh opinion of the others integrity.
Few months after the marriage !
Iars. BroWn took up a newspaper and
turned pale. From that time forward
she tried in vain to conceal from her
husband that she was much troubled. /
she denied having anything to distress
her' put Mr.. Brown noticed that she |
was watching the newspapers, which |
before.
One evening the husband instead of
coming home at the usual time sent a |
note to his wife saying that he had |
Deen suddenly called out of town. Oni
his return he seemed very much de-
pressed and, taking his wife into the
library, drew her down beside him and
said
My dear, have a confession to
mako confession must preface by
a story There is a romance connect
de with my former marriage only
a romance. but a mystery. Twenty
eight years ago I loved and was loved.
we met at a summer resort. While
strollng amid mountains, listening to-
the tumbling streams or watching the
setting sun gid the peaks, our love
was born.
Our homes were in different cities.
When We returned TO them both re-
ceiVed a fiat refusal to our union from
our parents. We were both very young,
and there was no money in either fam
lily. Under the circumstances it was
pointed out to us that marriage would
be suicidal.
we resolved on an elopement. I had
$500 in bank, which had come from a
legacy. This divided with the girl
| loved, and We agreed to meet on q, GER
| tain steamer that was to sail for
Havre. To elude pursuit it was agreed
| that we would remain in concealment
/ until the ship was well out at sea-
! we met at clergyman's study in
/ the city, from which were were to sail,
and were married; then separated to
/ meet on the steamer. The morning at
ter sailing searched the ship for my
wife and searched in vain. She was
| not on board
He paused. Mrs. Brown was drawing
| long breaths. GO on she said i'm
/ patiently.
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 ] had left and was unable to
| purchase a return ticket I went to
work to earn the money to do SO, but
| i'll success attended nv efforts and I
| entered upon life of poverty. By the
! time I 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 annuIment
of our marriage. Instead of going home
I l went to Australia. a few years ago
/ I came to America with not more
means that I had when I left.
"One day I saw it announced in a
newspaper that my wife's 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
husbands face intently, eagerly, and
at this last announcement drew long
4 breath.
GO on
q 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 a merry peal
| of laughter, so happy, so eXhilarated,
that her husband feared the news had
made a mental wreck of her.
"She is an imooster." she fairly
shouted It am your wife. When we
| eloped I boarded By mistake a steamer
bound for Rio de Janeiro- There
taught school for twenty years. Then,
hearing that an estate had fallen to
you, I returned and did exactly what
you did with mine. I claimed it as
your wife"
my dear" moaned the husband
1.-The blow has been too much for you
But Mrs. Browns arms were around
his neck, and she was beside hersel1
with a natural, not an insane, joy.
do you mean''-said the husband.
I mean that what I say is true
though I would not have believed it ir
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
and claimed your estate I 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 psychological feature of this case
= as strange as the coincidence. We both
! buried our hearts years ago, yet when
: each believed the other had returned
l we were nlisera BILE.
! Mrs Brown hung her head.
2 That was she stammered, be
! cause 1 loved my second husband bet
r-better-than"-
THE first, and I did the same in the
2 case of my two wives"
When the cases of the claimants came
r un Mr. and Mrs Brown found 1t more
? difficult to prove their Identity tnan
they had supposed. The pretendefs
whose evidence was first admitted. salts
fed the court and they were the real
p heirs, and it required volumes OF evil
q dence to break the testimony and prove
the identity OF the real Mr.. and Mrs
Brown. MARION MAY HOLT.
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