Year: 1876

A case has recently transpired ir
Newport, r. l., says the Providence
Press, which has given rise to no little
gossip in circles where it has become
known, being the return of the lawfully
welded wife of a man, after an absence
of forty years, to assert her marital
rights. The story as related is in sub
stance as follows:


Some forty years ago (epOrt says
fOrty-twO) a young man and maiden
in that city were united to each other in
the bonds of wedlock. However
smoothly the course of true love may
have been before the act matrimonial,
it appears to have become strangely
ruflled quite soon after; brief period,
report says two or three days, the
blooming bride, the echo of her mar
riage VOWS having scarce died away, IN
a clandestine manner and for no known
cause, left him whom she had vowed to
love and cherish, and fled to parts un-
known. For two years nothing was
heard from or of her, when all at once
she presented herself to the astOnished
gaze of her deserted husband. The lat
ter, it may readily be supposed, was
not overjoyed to see her after such I'M
accountable behavior on her part. He
gave her to understand that he was not
in readiness to resume marital relations
with her, when she retOrted that he
need give himself no further uneasiness
on that score, as she had obtained a
divorce. The husband replied that he
was rejoiced to learn that, as it had
saved him the trouble and expense of
taking measures to procure divorce
on his own account, rs he had intend
ed doing. The pair then drifted
apart, she disappearing again from
this region, while he resumed the
even tenor of his way. Feeling
that he was freed from the bonds OF
matrimony, and not favoring life of
''single blessedness," he sought out a
fair townswoman of his, wOoed and won
her, and, for the second time, became a
married man. The second matrimonial
alliance was atteaded with better re-
suits than at first Children were born
to them as the years rolled on, and be-
ing industrious and frugal, the pair ac-
cumulated a snug little property, and a
few years ago, being in infirm health,
the husband gave up active employ
ment, and has since been deriving as
much comfort as usually falls to the LOT
of man under such circumstances. He
had never heard from the woman he
had formerly called his wife since theil
last interview, and believing him.
self entirely free from her, gave
himself no further uneasines,
concerning her. Forty years had
elapsed since that time. What was his
astOnishment the other day, a short
time since, a woman rang at his door
bell, and being admitted, introduced
herself to the household as the wife OF
its head. Here was a scene. Wife No
was aware of this previous marriage,
but believed it to have been abrOgated
by decree of divorce. The husband
too, withstood her claim, adducing, in
support, her own story of a divorce, re,
lated forty years ago. She admitted
having thus informed him, but claimed
that it was all sham, that she was still
his lawful wife, and was here to claim
her rights and privileges under thai
head. This is the status of matters il
this particular household at the present
writing. Where she has kept herself
all these years does not really appear
but it is quite too apparent to the par
ties concerned that she is here now, anC
with purpose.