Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1911-11-18
AN EPISODE or
WARTIME DAYS
Treachery Fails to Separate
Husband and Wife.

NtlcnmOnu IL pldulutlOn lnaHoT houSe
that was built In 1860. About the mid
die OF the last century the owner of
the estate was widow. Mrs. Mar
garet Richie, who had splendid twin
daughters, Barbara and Elizabeth.
Mrs. Richie was very wealthy and
very ambitious. She took her daugh-
tiers to Europe with n view to their
marrying noblemen! a German baron
proposed for Barbara and was accept
ed by the mother, who did not consult
her daughter in the matter, intending,
If necessary, to enforce obedience. The
mother did not know that Barbara had
a love affair with n lieutenant In the
United States army, Theodore Benton,
a fine young fellow, but without cent
In the world except his pay.
On her return home Barbara met
Lieutenant Benton at one OF the houses
facing the capitol over which soon was
to float the Confederate flag. Already
there were mutterings of the great
struggle to come. Benton was north
ern man, and both knew that this
would be an additional reason why
Mrs. Richie would never consent to
their marriage. Barbara told her lover
of the contract her mother had entered
into in her behalf abroad. Beuton
urged her to marry him at once with
out her mothers consent. but she dared
not. Soon after, while Benton and Bar
bara were still in Richmond, came the
news of the firing on Fort Sumter.
Benton FASTENED to find Barbara, told
her that lie must atSonce make his way
north and again urged her to marry
him. She consented, clergyman was
called, and the two were made man
and wife. Benton reached Washington
safely Barbara went home to her
mother and broke the news of her mar
rage.
The next summer those at the Richie
plantation listened every day for a
week to the distant boom of cannon In
the battles about Richmond. Then the
sounds, like storm that had come.
roared from the top of Malvern hill.
but a short distance away. Evening
had come and with it only the crack
ing of rifles on the picket line when a
young officer rode up to the plantation.
announced himself as Lieutenant Theo-
dore Benton and, upon being told that
the family were there, demanded to
see his wife.
Mrs. Richie came into the drawing
room and received him with naughty
manner by no means softened by the
fact that he was an invader of her
state and her plantation. She told him
that Barbara was i'll and that she did
not wish to see him. When the war
ended she would apply for an annul-
ment of the marriage. Benton fatty
refused to believe the statement. Since
he was with an army Mrs. Richie
could not have him elected. She there
upon resorted to strategy,
'If my daughter comes into this
room and confirms what have said
will you believe herT
'T WILL
Half an hour later young girl stood
upon the threshold, pale apparently
with illness. Benton, seeing what APP
peared to be the shadow of his wife,
stepped forward. The girl motioned
him back.
"Theodore," she said, IT did wrong
in marrying you without my mothers
consent Go-away. wish never to
see you again"
Benton staggered from the house.
mounted his horse and rode away.
Two years later Grant laid pom
toon bridge across the James. advanc-
ed to Petersburg and besieged the
place. During the passage of the
Union troops across the river an off,
Ger rode up to the Richie plantation
and without dismounting handed a
negro a note addressed to Mrs. Theo-
dore Bentons 1t read
Are you of the same mind as in the
summer of 1862? II SO, 1 will go away.
and when you wish an apnulment OF our
marriage I will not oppose 1t.
In few minutes Barbara appeared
at the door and between hysterical
tears and laughter held out her arms.
Benton sprang from his horse to her
embrace.
The first piece of news the husband
received was that Mrs. Richie had
died; the second was an explanation
OF the pronunciation which had oc-
CURED when Benton had been there
before Mrs. Richie was a woman
who when her mind was made up
would stop at no means which she re-
garded legitimate to accomplish her
object. She considered that her daugh-
ter had been stolen from her. There
fore she had right to repossess her
self of her own property. She would
not lie. She had asked Benton, eff
my daughter comes into this soom and
confirms what have saiA. will YOU
believe herr" Then she ordered Eliza
beth to personate. her sjster. Elizabeth,
without strength ofs<haracter TO resist
her mother. had done az She was told
Barbara on the ARRIVAL of her husband
had been locked N her room and had
not known OF tne outrage that had
been committed until after her moth
er's death. when her. sister confessed
and begged forgiveness.
Barbara. whom she learned how she
had been misrepresented to her hus-
band. was in agony. She had resolved
to go north ~ search of him when the
Union troops appeared.
-Beatossasnt n note to hts command
ing officer announcing that he had
found a. towing wife ard asking for n
leave. It was granted and that night
the wedding was celebrated.