Year: 1874

About 6neen years ago, young woman
living in her home in Monscn, Mass, be-
came possessed with the desire to 20 West
and teach school. In the town of Ana.
mosa, Iowa, she found her vocation, and
by-and.by a husband. lie was the youngest
and INDUCED son of wealthy widow. The
happy couple set out early on the matrimo.
nial sea, both being only about nineteen
years Of age. When our heroine wrote to
her father in Monson Of her plans, be went
on to Iowa for few months visit, and be.
ing pleased with his daughters prospects,
built and furnished house for her. The
mother Of the young husband gave him
fine farm, well stocked and equipped, and no
young couple ever started in life with
brighter prospects.


ln short time, however, bad specula-
tions and mismanagement had stripped her
husband of all his property. His pride
was terribly mortified by this turn of affairs,
and in sudden desperation he left his home,
his wife and infant daughter, and enlisted
in one Of the first regiments which was
raised to put down the rebellion. His fam.
iy received few letters from him, and
then came an unbroken silence. In vain
they wrote to him, and then to his officers
and comrades. He was reported among
the missing. The wife or widow--she knew
not which-at length returned to her Mon
son home, and afterwards came to this city
and entered the employ of Tinkham & Co.,
proving herself capable and efficient in the
millinery department


At the end Of four or five years, she re.
visited her husbands friends in Iowa, and
soon married gentleman there, having first,
for the sake of certainty, obtained divorce
from her long lost husband, although really
supposing herself widow. In few
months after this marriage this second hus-
band died, and the lady again returned to
her New England home twice widowed,
as she supposed and soon was in her old
place at Tinkham's,


Some months ago--apd this is one Of the
strangest incidents in this eventful history
she dreamed that hack called at her
boarding place and took her to the Massa-
soft House, where she met her husband, to
whom she was again united in marriage
The dream, Of course, made deep impress
sion on her mind but as months wore away
and nothing camo Of it,, she regarded it as
' only dream.p But one day last fall a
letter reached the postoihce at Ananosa, di-
rected to her. Some one who knew her,
caused it TO be returned to this city. 1t so
happened that she was absent on visit at
the time, and after remaining in the Spring
field Office a while il was returned to Iowa.
Her friends there then inclosed it in another
envelope and sent it to her again, and it
finally reached her as she was at work in
Tinkham's store.


On opening it she nearly tainted. 1t was
from her first husband, from whom or
of whom not a lisp had been heard by
his friends for thirteen years. 1t stated
that he was in the wilds of Texas, fol-
lowing the hazardous life of ranchero.
lie had left home with the determination of
never returning till he had made good his
shattered fortunes. Several times he had
so far redeemed his vow that he was on the
point of seeking his family and friends,
when some turn Of the wheel Of fortune
had dashed him back to poverty. AT length
the tickle goddess had favored him and he
was rich again. Whether his wife was liv-
ing, whether she was the mother Of another
mans family, and a host Of other questions
asked, she fastened to answer.


Other letters were written by both but
all failed, by reason Of hostile Indians,
faithless carriers, etc, Of reaching their des-
tination. But the one assuring him that
his wife was still his own, and telling where
she could be found, was enough


Some time afterward, a stranger inquired
at the Massasoit House if there was such q
firm as Tinkham & Co., in the city. Being
assured on this point, he called a hackman
and told him to drive to their store and
bring Mrs. to the hotel She was not
at the store, and the hackman was directed
to her boarding place, where he found her,
and-the dream was proved true. The
meeting is not for us to describe.


The next evening there was a wedding
at the house of prominent clergyman,
and the bride was woman who was then
married the third time, yet had but two
husbands, and by their side stood bloom
ing miss Of fourteen to witness the marriage
Of her own legitimate father and mother
Springfield Union.