Year: 1879

Hannibal (Mo.) Courier


Everybody around about the I'm


ion Depot this morning from early


in the day until train time noticed


a young man walking mournfully


around, carrying a bright and pret-


ty little baby. After watching the


evidently despairing man for some


time the reporter "made himself


conspicuous to him. as all report


ers know how to do), and we had


not leaned long against the lamp


post until the party spoke to US,


and asked when the train went out
to Kansas?


This opened conversation


just what we wanted-during which


the man told US the following story.


We give it as he told it as near as


possible:


My name is James Myers. About
twenty-one months ago l was mar


ried to Miss Jennie McMullen. She


was a beautiful girl and 1 thought
a great deal of her, and thought that
she loved me; but now 1 find my
mistake. After our marriage L
leased a farm near Summerville,
Pike county, Illinois, and moved on
to it, and everything looked bright
to me. worked hard last season
and did well.


We lived happy together, and
can prove that provided bountiful-
ly for my wife. Her father and
mother lived only about three miles
from my place, and used to fire.
quently come and see us. always
used them well, and was very fond |
Of my wife, and did my whole duty |
by her. A little less than a year
after our marriage this baby was
born, and we were both seemingly |
glad to receive i'll know / was. l
was everything that good hus
band could be, and 1 was happy. |


Now, although my wife has left |
me, we had never, up to the day |
she departed, had hard word or
feeling. between us.


The separation occurred in this
way, and L was greatly surprised
when it came up: About three
weeks ago, after 1 had done all
my morning chores about the
house, / ate my breakfast, kissed
my wife and child, and went out
blowing. After 1 had commenced
plowing my wife called out and said:


"Jim, 1 have made up my mind
to leave you now, and want you to
come into the house and divide the
things"


then asked her the reason why |
she was going to leave, and she an
swered that she had just married |
me for spite, and "now I'm done
with you" / told her if she was in |
earnest and wanted to leave me,
she could take just what she want
ed. She said, "You can keep the |
young one; l don't want that"
And then she went to work and |
picked out what she wanted about !
the place.


1 was very glad she did not want
the baby, because l did and would |
have hated to have given it up. |
After she had given me that / was
willing she should take everything.
She picked out what she wanted,
ahd then left on foot for her IA
thers, and 1 have not seen her
since. She was a woman that /
thought good deal of, and done
my best to use right. Don't think
there is another man in the case, as
L have not had many male visitors at
my house. L don't know what she
meant when she said she married
me for spite. She has frequently,
since leaving me, made the same re
mark to my friends, and that she
never liked me anyhow. I've got a
sister in Fontana, Ks, who will
take care of my child, and l am 60
ing there to live; having given up
all hopes of ever seeing my wife
again, and don't care now, AS long
as can keep my child, she can go.


Then the train was made up, and
the gentleman stepped on board
with his child and baggage. He
was young man about twenty-five
years old, with a good, honest coun-
tenance, and from his, appearance
was hard working son of the soil.
We expect that the unfaithful wife
will sometime regret her rash act.