The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-12-26
Special Correspondence to Tn. Press

special Correspondence TO The Press
UNIONTOWN, Pa, Dec. 26.-
Picture this wild western Pennsyl-
vania region, where nature is
SCARED with the marks that man
has made to wrest from her the
treasures of lumber and coal;
where dinky engines Shrek
through the valleys by day and
miles of flaming coke ovens hold
Argus-eyed vigil at night.
Picture struggling village
clustered round mine, village
bare of adornment but revealing in
the wealth of earth.
Picture the big man of this vii
lage in the prime of life, grown
mighty from beginning of pow
erty. president of two coal COM
panies and director of numerous
enterprises, the counselor of all the
village, the backbone of the COM
munity, the head of a large family,
a factor in the affairs of the hus-
Ting county seat, his credit AL in
Fourth street, the money canyon
. of Pittsburg.
Picture this man stricken down
: in the midst of his activities with
the severest blow of fate-the dis
ruption of his home.
Picture this mans wife, after IA
years of happy married life and
motherhood, still young, at the
very realization of the highest
comfort rewarding early sacrifices,
: leaving simultaneously with poor
man, village cut-up, small
meat dealer who had wife of his
, own.
Picture the woman's mother, in
grief at her disappearance, waiting
in vain for word from her daugh-
ter, then in modification ending
her life
Picture all this, and say what
you would do were you the wound
ed husband.
Well, here is what w. A. Stone,
mining magnate of Hopwood, Pa,
would do: He would find that wife
and take her back; he would give
her divorce if she prefers it; he
would see her marry another if
she wills, and back her future
happiness with his money. He
says this is due her for the hap
piness she has given him in the
past.
w. A. Stone is a strong man of
40, selfmade man, and that is his
philosophy. A reward of $4,000
stands, and detectives, at his COM
mand, are seeking Mrs. Stone and
Emery Martin, 80, who left the vii
lage at the same time. Should they
be found together it will make no
difference to w. A. Stone.
For, says w. A. Stone, as he sits
in his disordered home, unshaven,
hollow rings round his eyes, chill
dren wandering aimlessly up and
down stairs, my wife was not a
bad woman. No. 1t is not her
nature to be bad woman. My
wife has been i'll and nervous. She
was easily influenced. She had
vague aspirations and ambitions
She was an affectionate wife al
ways, and an ideal mother. Now
that she has been i'll and has per
haps not the strength of mind she
had in health, ] will not judge hel
by the harsh standard of ingrati
tude. ! assured her mother, before
she passed away, that | would de
vote myself to finding lola and eff
fecting reconciliation"
So much for w. A. Stone, who BY
the way denies a report that he
will give his fortune of $25O,OO0 t.
find Mrs. Stone.
The wife? She had five children
the oldest about IA. She had ar
automobile at her command She
had money to spend. She had tn,
esteem of the community. She haC
her church. She had her husband
busy man though he was She hat
tastes above those commonly pre-
vailing In a mining village in tn,
mountains. She had books and sh,
had music. Until she can tell he
story, w. A. Stones supplied won
der must be yours.
The man who went away wa
such man as you can find in an,
village. He was a good mixer. H
was witty. He was the life of pan
ties. Emery Martin got around.
He was a meat dealer and visite
every home in the village with hi
wares. He belonged to the church
lie had a little churchmouse of
wife who looked up to him a
singularly accomplished and
hero. He had served with tn
army In the Philippines. What h
lacked In wealth he made up 1
social qualities, .x-r~
- Il was considered a great larl
two years ago. when there was
church festival In which the Leaf
ing characters were Uncle Sar
and Columbia. Martin was Uncl
Eam and Mrs. Stone was Columbii