The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1907-05-30
TbeForlorn Man
(Original.l

to the original happenings as they can
be without pointing to the actual OK
currence.
Matthew Tuttle was good man,
good father and a good husband. He
was comfortably off in this worlds
goods, happy and contented. This
statement is made with the reserva-
ton that 80 Mr. Tuttle appeared. That
he had means is certain. That he was
contented and happy is assumed be-
cause he showed no sign to the con-
trary.
One afternoon after business hours
Mr.. Tuttle did not come home as usual.
His wife waited dinner an hour; 9, 10
o'clock came, and still he did not come.
Mrs. Tuttle supposed he had been un-
avoidably detained, but why had he
not telephoned as usual? At II o'clock
she called up the police headquarters,
requesting that they send to certain
places where her husband might posi-
bly, be found. These places were Wis
tied, but Mr.. Tuttle was not at any OF
them.
The next morning the city was ran
sacked for the missing man-that is,
after the usual hour for his appear
ance at his Office. That hour came
and the next, and there were no signs
Of Mr.. Tuttle. The day passed with
out the slightest trace Of him. Bis
wife soon fell into condition border
ing on nervous prostration.
Weeks, months, years passed and Mr..
Tuttle was not heard from. The police
gave him up, considering his case one
of the many In which the subject Is
murdered and the body successfully
got away with. This they at last told
Mrs. Tuttle, and as soon as she became
convinced of it herself, accepting the
inevitable, she became resigned and
regained her health. Her husbands
estate was administered, and widow
and children were found to have In
herited such an income as they needed.
Five years after Mr.. Tuttle's disap-
pearance man Of forlorn mien went
up to the Tuttles' front door and rang
the bell. OF the servant who answered
the summons he asked If Mrs. Tuttle
lived there. He was Informed that she
owned the house, but had rented It
and gone to Europe with her children.
The man turned away. .i..-l
1t was q Sunday morning, and he
strolled aimlessly for awhile till, pass
ing a, church, he entered It and took
back seat
whats that handsome marble be-
side the chancel?' he asked In whis-
per Of one next him.
That's the Tuttle font" was the re-
ply. 1T was placed there In memory
Of Matthew Tuttle, who disappeared
and never was heard from"
The forlorn man made no reply and
when the congregation was dismissed
went out with the others and stood on
the church steps as II not knowing
where to 60. Presently he went down
into the street and boarded a trolley
car. After half an hours ride he got
out at a cemetery and, entering the
gate, followed a walk till he came to
| lot whereon was handsome monu-
ment. He read the inscription, I'm
Memory of Matthew Tuttle." The man
/ looked at the other graves In the lot,
taking In each separately, then went
away. \
One morning in Geneva, Switzerland
where Mrs. Tuttle had gone to put heI
children at school, she was walking
over the bridge leading to an island
In the Rhone, now and then stopping
to lean over the stone guard and look
into the crystal waters. After one of
these pauses she raised her head to
proceed. Suddenly she clutched at the
stone beside her and was sinking down
when a man caught her in his arms.
| It was her husband.
Some time passed before the aston.
ished woman could speak, and then
the idea that filed her brain was that
she had been deserted.
"Where have you been| she asked
drawing away.
II remember" he said, placing his
hand on his forehead, "a long while
ago boarding a train. Where I was
going I don't know. After that I re-
membered nothing till three weeks
ago, when I suddenly seemed to come
to myself. I was in Philadelphia.
took train for home and found you
had come over here. l had no trouble
In identifying myself and getting
money to follow you. I have just ar,
rived. At your apartments they told
me you walked here mornings while
the children are at school"
The wife looked at her husband for
confirmation and saw It In his forlorn,
half dazed expression. Then, though
not entirely unobserved, she threw her
arms about him. At that moment a
clock near by struck II, and soon
after three children came running to
the bridge. A man none Of them re-
membered who stood by their mother
took them one after another In bis
arms and kissed them. Then the re.