The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-10-20
HER FIRST LOVE.
Mrs. MahoIa Liken Seeks Return
of Widows Pension.
She Gave 1t Up to Wed q Farm
Hand.
NOW HE HAS GONE.
Given a Divorce But Left With
out Means.
First Husband Died in Ander-
sOnviIle Prison.

| Deserted. alone and penniless, Mrs.
Mahola Liken, of Oakland, is asking
| the pension department at Washington
! for a renewal of the pension of John
Liken. For several months Mrs. Liken
that is the name she gives now-has
been virtually a public charge. When
| her late husband, George f. Tassell, de-
| serted her, he left the woman without
means of support. She is now nearly
10 years old, almost blind, a cripple and
compelled to walk with clutches.
1t is a pitiabIe story that Mrs. Liken
! tells concerning her life. Hers is the
story of happy days before the war;
which year after year verged into I'M
! pleasant memories and brought sorrow
and poverty to her home.
| When the civil war broke out, John
| K. Liken and his wife were in their
prime of life. They owned a valuable
| farm in Iowa and were happy. One
| day there was a call for volunteers.
| John Liken enlisted and gave his life to
! his country. He Joined Company L,
| One Hundred and Twelfth Illinois in
| fantry, and went with the boys of his
| regiment to the scene of battle. One
| day a number of the men were taken
prisoners. John Liken was one of these
men and was sent to the Andersonvilie
! prison, where he died few months
| later.
When the war was over Mrs. Liken
| received a pension and continued TO
live on the old farm, which provided
| all that her meager tastes required
| Then George Tassell came into her life.
TasseH came to work for Mrs. Likers
as a hired man. Tassell courted the
woman and she returned his affections.
In 1870 they were married For sew
eral years the couple was happy. Then
| one day Tassell induced the woman to
sell her farm Most of the money re-
| ceived from the sale, the woman says.
was spent by TasseI He possessed a
taste and desire for comforts and lux
uries which were supplied at his wife's
| expense.
! A few years later the farm was gone
! and the money nearly spent. Then
| TasselPs affections, she says, became
| less evident. She secured a divorce and
| for several years the two lived apart.
| One day Tassell came back. He re-
! peated the old love song and it found
a response in the woman's heart. In
the latter SOS they were remarked.
Then they came to Kansas and
! bought a small home in Oakland A
| few years ago Tassell, so his late wild
| ow states, prevailed upon her to mort
| gage the home. Tassell. who was in
| the real estate business here in those
| days invested the money for her. 1t
was never returned; and TasselPs in
come was small. With the loss of her
| home Mrs. Tasseu devised more eco
nomical means of living. When not en-
! gagged in the real estate business, Tas-
sell devoted his time to religious af-
| fairs and was looked upon as a fanatic.
| Mrs. Tassell did not share her hus-
bands devout religious proclivities and
this branch of the home tie, devolved
! large on Tassell.
Mrs. Tassell worked and saved to pro-
| tect the little home and as the months
Whirled by, TasseIls income became
| less and less. One day Tasse1 went
| away. He never came back. Some
| months later Mrs. Tassen applied for
a divorce in the Shawnee county dis
| trict court. 1t was granted.
| Now she asks the pension depart
nent at washington to grant her pen
sion as a recompense for the services
| of her first husband which is admissi-
BILE under the laws since the woman is
| divorced from her second husband.
| Every day Mrs. Iiken watches the
mails; and some day she hopes to re-
ceive word that her request has been
granted.