A ROMANCE IN REAL LIFE.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3768, 13 August 1883, Page 4

A ROMANCE IN REAL LIFE.

A most extraordinary circumstance — a real romance in humble life — has been brought to light within the last few days in Drogheda, giving :i forcible illustration of the oft-told aphorism that "truth is stranger than fiction " By the steamer Colleen Pawn, which left for Liverpool, there went as deck passenger a man named Edward Fincgan, with liis wife and eight other relatives, all bound for America. Twenty-eight years ago Edward Fincgan, •who was then four years married, and was living in Drogheda, left his young wife, with two children, and went to America. He proceeded to the gold diggings of California, where, by dint of hard work mid industiy, he amassed a considerable sum of money. During all his years of ■wandering he never once wrote to his wife, •who in the meantime was day by day and month by month, anxiously awaiting a letter from him. No letter came, however, and as year after year rolled by she ■was at last induced to believe that her husband was dead. She went to England, and worked there as a factory operative. In the cour.se of time she. received and accepted an offer of mama go, mid benmo the bride of a worker la tinware, who in a measure consoled hoi:, for the.loss of " No. I." After a few years of wedded life tho second husband died, and was gathered to the home of his fathers. Twenty-eight yearp had now passed since the departure of "No. 1," when, about four weeks ago, a stranger of American appearance arrived in Drogheda, and particularly inquired for the Mrs Finegan of of twenty-eight years ago. He was soon told her history by the people of whom he inquired, and then accused himself, by his neglect and silence, of being the direct cause of all the trouble. He expressed his desire to see her and make amends, and her friends accordingly wrote to her in England, apprising , her of the safe return of her supposed " dead husband," and his desire for their reunion. She lout no time in responding to the call of love and duty, and rejoined him ii few days afterwards. They then decided to leave for America, and accordingly, accompanied by all of their relatives, the expense of whose passage Mr Finegan defrayed, they left as beforo stated.