The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1911-04-27

| ing if she was this or that missing
person, but she did not tally with any
Of them. Thinking all the while that
she would be claimed, we did not
change our status, but after time we
began to consider the propriety of her
remaining with me. She could not do
so without exciting comment except
as my wife. If on this ground she
left me where should she go? Ny
children needed her and insisted or
calling her mamma" Since we did
! not know her name I soon fell to call
ing her by the same name as the
| children.
None of those coming to investigate
her found that she was the person
they were looking for. Her stay.
| which was expected to end any mo-
ment, was prolonged from week to
week. from month to month. Then
one day some gossip about us was re-
peated to me, and decided to submit
to her the question Of marriage.
Therein lay puzzle. How did we
know but that she had a husband,
even children Of her own? And sup.
pose she married me one day and was
restored to a former home the next?>
What a terrible complications!
The mystery" as I shall call her,
was no more puzzled as to the best
| course to pursue than I. If we mar
rled and afterward she was torn away
from me and my children would not
l and they be the sufferers? For
| months we could come to no decision.
But, strange to say, she as we'll as L
began to dread that her identity might
be discovered, and for two reasons
| first, the discovery would break up<
what was becoming happy home,
and, second, her own real status might
be an unhappy one.
1t was necessary for at least one of
US to determine to take the risk Of
marriage, and 1 arrived at this inevi-
table conclusion first. Indeed, was a
long while persuading her to my view.
Had it not been that women are prone.
to heed providential interposition I
doubt if I should ever have succeeded.
in my suit. That I had asked to be
sent woman to take care of my chill
dren and she believed that my prayer
had been answered not by fate, but by
Providence, was her chief reason for
| at last conserving.
And here again another difficulty
was met. My brides name was not
known. She chose Mary, very COM
mon but very beautiful one. Under,
this name she insisted on being bap-
TIED, arguing that if she had been.
baptized before the second baptism
| would be void, but if she had not been.
baptized baptism before her mar
rage would hold good
| And so we were married. Some
women held up their hands in horror
| at her marrying when she might be
leaving a mourning husband and chill
! dren elsewhere. But none of them
could predict what would be their OWL
decision were they called upon to act
In a similar position.
Years passed, during which my lit
| tie ones were charmed at the appear
| ance from time to time of baby broth
ers or sisters. prospered, and there
! was nothing to be desired in our fam
! lily circle. My wife did not in all this
| time show any signs whatever of a
| returning memory. If there was q:
! shadow upon our happiness it was that
it might come back or that those to
whom she had belonged might get
some clew by which they would find
her
But when my children grew older
my expenses naturally increased.
There were six or eight boys and girls
to educate, and it was difficult to make
| ends meet, especially as most of the
| Oldest boys and girls wished to go to
college. My limited income was not
sufficient for the purpose, and I was
obliged to deny them.
One morning I was awakened with
a shake. My wife was looking at me
with a singular expression, but with a
happy one.
1T has all come back to me-" she
| said.
"Great heavens!' I exclaimed.
Its all right I am Sarah Deane.
I was brought up in Missouri. am
L
mined to relieve my father and mother
| of the necessity
'"You were not married?'
mo"
"Thank God!'
II was going east to study typewrit-
Ing and stenography. I was to have
lived with an aunt in New York who
was childless and wished me to make
my home with her,
do you remember your aunt's
| name?''
"Certainly-Amelia Cook"
"And your father and mother?''
A panied expression passed over her
| face.
"They are both doubtless dead since
| they were quite old when I left them
How they must have suffered on my
| account!
| A. great load was lifted from our
| shoulders The older children knew Of
0ur saorot and thew were as hannv NO