The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1908-09-04

Mrs. S. A. Cranberry,
mother Of the defendant. was tn
next witness 10 take the stand. an'
a sadder story never fell from morta
lips than was told BY her mother
heart. With the weight Of 81 year,
and much Of sorrow showing in hel
face, there was yet in her voice anC
bearing the nenaceable lineaments o.
culture, kindness and refinement, AMI
the rathos OF it an went home to the
hearts of all who heard her, and
melted many Of the audience to tears
She was 81 years old, she said
and the mother OF eight children. sew
en- Of whom are still living. Her hus-
band died 26 years ago. when Harry
was only two years old. She had OBJ
jected to the marriage, not because
of the slightest objection to the young
lady, but because he had no business
or profession or money, and she did
not think any young man should mar
ry under such circumstances. Upon
his urgent request, however, she fl
nally gave her consent, and also
gave him the money to marry on,
and to go to ST. Louis in search of
work She visited them four times
in st. Louis, she said, and they visit
ed her at her home in this county,
and their relations were entirely
pleasant. She called me Mother"
and in writing to her l always signed
myself, "Your Mother"
To further questions she said: my
health was very poor when they
came back from st. Louis, and l had
no cook, and so telephoned my aunt,
Miss Dobbins, to get boarding house
for them. They came to visit me
one afternoon in January, but l was
not able to visit them or go anywhere.
Question by Mr.. Hughes:-Mrs.
Cranberry, did you ever in any way
advise, procure or attempt to induce
a separation between your son Har-
ry and his wife?
"Oh, no, no." was the feeling an
swer.
Question:-Whe was the first you
knew of their trouble, and what took
place at the time?
Answer:-I never knew of it until
he came into my room and threw
himself upon his knees and buried
his face in my lap and put his arms
about me, and cried, I'VE are sepa-
'ated." And he lay there and cried
oh, Mama, Mama" until Rob said
get up Harry, and if you are in the
light hold up your head and face the
world like man." And said,
Yes, get up son, and be a man, and
good man." He sat there holding
lis face in his hands and we had
cry little to say; we respected his
orrow too much to talk. After sup
er he went off to himself. Shortly
fter l hunted him up and asked him
vhy he had separated from his wife, 9
nd he looked up through his tears
nd between sobs said, why Mama,
very time I went home l would find !
ly wife in my bed room with Wash .
ong"
The next morning, continued the
illness, I was sick, but l thought ! =
lust get up, and did; but after break
lst was forced to go to bed again, :
nd he came to my room and laid :
own beside me on the bed and Sob :"
ed and cried until dinner. l per- =
laded him finally to get up and =
ink cup Of coffee; but he soon
me back again and cried and Sob =
ID all the afternoon until Rob came -
Id took him away; and when he left =
, came around the bed and kissed :
. goodbye, without saying word. =
did not try to talk to him very much, !.
cause l could not. -
OF
Saturday he came home from the
ines with Rob, but did not come :,
to the house with him, and went
t and found him in an old swing =
the yard, with his head leaning hr
ainst the swing, crying. / asked -
N what was the matter, and he ~
Id, "oh Mama, love my wife, and -
love my baby" -
During the following week, contin- fir
the mother, my son Hugh and his arr
by came to see me, and we're there sb
turday when Rob and Harry return
from the mines. Harry came in fo,
/ spoke to Hugh and the child, but AT
the room almost Immediately. In he
ew minutes | went in search of To
q, and found him in my bed room WI
ne, crying. put my arms about ha,
I and asked him why he had left 900