The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1913-01-20
Veteran of Confederate Hos
pital Corps Marries Deaf
and Dumb Girl While in
Service Through Treach-
cry He Is Made to Believe
Her Dead and Weds Again
, SEQUEL IN FINDING
OF HIS FIRST WIFE
Daughter Also Living-Sec-
ond to Whom Surgeon
Gave Name Dies in Re
treat in Tropico-Buried
With Bird Given Her by
Husband in Happier Days
CBy Federal wireless,

11uSOdIld III I1dpplSI Lays
CBy Federal yireless)
LOS ANGELES. Jan 2O.-Beside a
newly made grave. DR.. W. B. worden,
a physician of 1923 Magnolia avenue.
laid bare for the first time yesterday
the story of a veteran of the confed-
crate hospital corps and reckless
Lochinvar who was strangely welded
TO deaf and dumb girl of Louisiana
during his service in the civil war.
Twenty-four years later. made by
treachery to believe his first wife and
child long dead. lie married again.
Eight years ago by mere chance he
discovered the deaf and dumb woman
and her daughter living.
A cloistered retirement was found
for the second wife in Tropico and for
eight years she has lived alone there.
her only companion being faithful
parrot he gave her many years ago.
Buried in the same grave which af-
fords sepulture to Phoebe Forden lies
the parrot 1t had been q bird of par
adise to the lonely old woman who
lost her husband to another after
score of happy years of wedlock.
Twenty-Five years ago he gave her
the bird, then but a squad, and when
the night of despair fell over her day
of happiness she took it with her into
retirement at her little home, No. 145
Tropico avenue. Tropico.
On her death bed she pleaded that
the faithful companion of her great
sorrow be laid to rest with her. When
the tired eyes finally closed in a rest
long delayed, Doctor Forden chloro-
formed the parrot
'I decided to study medicine and
entered medical college" he said, ''but
the demon OF the Louisiana marsh
was upon me and they would not per-
NIT me to remain in the school en-
tered, anyway. and just as the war
broke out I was graduated and en-
tered the confederate service.
LIVES HAPPILY TWENTY YEARS
The years rolled on and heard
nothing more of my family. Finally
went to San Francisco. and In that city.
II years ago. met. wooed and won my
second wife For nearly 20 years we
lived happily. Part of that time we
were in San Francisco. where I was
in charge Of an advertising medical
office at large salary. Part we lived
in Los Angeles.
Let the scene shift now to an In
dianapons hospital and let the time be
A
and her son were there for the treat
nent OF the latter. She met a woman
from California and, during the course
of desultory conversation, the Cali
fornia woman mentioned the fact that
she was acquainted with Doctor
Forden-
Mrs. Horner, who in reality was
my daughter. wrote me in guarded
way. asking If I had ever had
daughter. I replied in the Affirmative.
but added that the child was dead.
v Then she sent an investigator and
finally revealed the horrible truth.
took my wife and went to Phoenix.
where my daughter had taken her hus-
band for the benefit of his health"
The narrator stopped. shaken with
emotion, and covered his face as If to
shut out a searching vision.
TERRIBLE SCENE ENsUEs
There was a terrible scene, he
continued Imagine my position. If
you can. Perhaps you can look upon
my face and read there the stamp of
truth; but can you make the public
realize? Well, there seemed but one
thing to do This fine woman Of "a.
my baby. whom ! had not seen since
she nestled in her mothers arms back
there on the Mississippi, must be pro-
tected. The woman I had inadvertent-
ly wronged through all the long years
was entitled to my protection, too. was
she not? Thank God, we had no chill
dren."
Think, man. think of my position.
secured an annulment of the California
marriage and bought for my wife the
little place at Tropico- There she lived
with the parrot 1 had given her in the
eiay Of our love. There I visited her fire.
euently and did what I could for her
4 faithful OLD gardener attended to such
simple wants as she required, and there
the cancer. which for years had sf-
nicted her, completed its work. don't
Enow why God let me live through the
ks ears of my dissipation. 1 would amount
Aio something had Jet drink alone.
WAS clever with the knife and / know
NV ,nrofession. / have told the truth
but don't nrint l. boy. don't print II"