Year: 1869




his Firss Wife aud anas her Alive.
From the Louisville Courier Journal.


friend related TO us a most singular story
in regard to an acquaintance Of his, who was
formerly resident of this city. the facts Of
which bears with them melancholy interest
such as attaches TO few life histories, We
were permitted to give it publicity on agree
ing to withhold the names of the parties con-
cerued.


Something more than eight years ago there
was an Englishman living on Market street,
with his wife aud two children. aud part OF
the building in which he resided, he used for
grocery store, and for a time prospered, but
like very many other men, could not bear sue
cess, AID venturing too much in a variety of
speculations, he lost money and soon fell
deeply in debt. There was no bankrupt law
then. and debt was perhaps net so much the
fashion as it has become in these latter days.
Indeed, so involved did he become, that moth
ing short of downright dishonesty could save
his little store from the auctioneer's hammer
He WAS n very sensitive man, as we'll as very
honest. and to him debt was disgrace hardly
to be endured.


On consultation with one of his friends, he
made up his mind to leave Louisville forever.
or at least until he could do something toward
mending his fallen fortunes. With this idea
foremost in his mind, he bade farew ell to his
wife and children, and committing them to
the care of his friend until he could find for
them II new home, he started North Cast
ing about him, he finally brought up in Phila-
delphia and started in business there on
small scale. lie wrote his wife, speaking
cheerfully of his prospects, but the letter
from the husband aud father never reached
the waiting, anxious ones at home receiving
no answer he wrote again. No reply came.
and again and again he wrote, bnt with the
same result. He then wrote to hie friend,
and shortly after received a letter in answer,
with the terrible news that his wife and chill
dren had suddenly left Louisville soon after
bis departure, and that vague stories were
atloat not very complimentary to her whom
he had hitherto believed the purest and best
of all ber sex, and loved only as confding
husband could love. Teart-sick and cursing
his existence, he believed all, and attempted
to take his own life, but through the inter
vention of some person who occupied the
same room with him, he was saved, and at
last recovered his spirits sufficiently to attend
to business, which from that time he closely
adhered to and stove to forget the past. At
the end of five years he married a very estim-
able lady whose acquaintance he had casual
ly made, and, two years later. had succeeded
so we'll in his business as to be able to pay off
all the debts which had driven him from his
home seven years before. He lived very
happily with his second wife, by whom he
had one child, and he never permitted him.
self to think of the home he had left in Ken
tucky.


Thus matters stood until few months ago,
when he one day received by mail copy of
one OF the Louisville papers, and in running @
his eye over the local page, he chanced to dis
cover name which at once drew his whole
attention. 1t was under the head of ''Died, )"
and he started as he read the three little
lines. The name was that of his first wife,
and she had died in Louisville. Could it be
possible that she had never left her home,
hut bad waited so many long years for bis
return? And was the cruel story that had
reached him mere fabrication? Full: of the
strangest emotions he had ever experienced.
he reyolved in his mind these questions, and
he at last determined to satisfy himself by O
visit to Louisville and the grave of her whom
he once loved. He made known his deter
mination to his wife, who agreed to accompa
ny him, and, with her and his little boy, he
set out for this city. Arriving here he at
once instituted inquiries, and was astonished
on learning from former acquaintance that
his first wife was still alive and well, and
furthermore, that since he left her, she had
never been out of the city The "friend"
who had written him the story of her depart
ure could not now be found, and he forthwith
sought out the wronged wife and his two
children.


The joy of the poor woman on once more
Il L. L ! II
her own life. was as great as her grief had
been at the fatal leave taking. She reuorted
to him the story of her trials, of now she had
toiled for the support of herself and children
through all the drearY years. never for one
moment doubling him, or that be would some
day return and be happy with her once more.
She further related that the friend in whose
care he had left her betrayed the trust, and
had not only DETAINED the absent hus band, but
had sought her hand in marriage, and being
refused had left the city swearing vengeance
She then asked him if he had been as true to
her. What must have been the anguish of
that moment, when the unfortunate husband,
now for the first time realizing how cruelty
he had been deceived was forced to acknowl-
edge his second marriage! Dropping on his
knees, he implored forgiveness of the injured
woman. and it was freely given when she
heard bis story Not Only did she forgive
him, but besought him never to disclose the
fact of her existence to his second wife, who
as yet believed her dead, and to go back to
his home in Philadelphia and forget the terri
BILE past. Whether the advice of the noble
woman was followed, we have yet no means
of knowing. Surely. she deserved a better
fate than that which has befallen her.
How the announcement Of her death found
it's way into the papers has never been ex-
planned Perhaps the same name belonged
| to another person. or it may have been the
work of the base wretch who was the author
of all her troubles.


One of our eminent citizens 'had company"
few evenings since, when the euphony of