TRUTH STRANGER THAN FICTION.

Evening Star, Issue 3362, 28 November 1873, Page 2

TRUTH STRANGER THAN FICTION.

The DimeJiu correspondent of the Bruce Herald relates the following romance, which has just come under his notice About four years ago a gentleman in a neighboring Colony, bade farewell to his young and handsome wife, kissed his tirst-born sou, then a few weeks old, and started on a journey up country. He reached an hotel about 200 miles from his starting poiut, put up his buggy and horses, ordering them to be well cared for and got ready as early in the morning as they could be, when he was to be called to pursue bis journey. In the morning the horses were got ready, and an effort made to call the traveller. He was called but made no answer, and bye-and-bye it was found he bad gone, leaving no trace of his going behind him. Day followed day and lengthened into weeks, weeks grew into months, and still no word camo to the anxious and bewildered wife, as to the whereabouts of her lost husband, till about three mouths after the mysterious disappearance a body was found in a neighboring river much decomposed, and to all appwirance having been for months in the water. Here it was said was the explanation of the lost husband. It was discovered after his disappearance that his circumstances were much embarrassed, and now by the finding of the body, suicide was at once sug* gested. The body was too much decomposed for particular identification, but a gold watch was found upojj it, stopped at about the hour the lost traveller was supposed to have left the hotel where last seen. The watch was identified by the wife, as at all events very closely resembling that worn by her husband. The police made strict inquiry, and at length came to the conclusion acquiesced in by all con* cerned, that the lost traveller had by some moans or other got into the river and been drowned, and that the body found was all that remained of him. The widow put on weeds, and oppressed with deep and almost overwhelming grief at her sudden and untimely bereavement, mourned her loss, and for long refused to be comforted. However, as year followed year, the poignancy of her grief wore off. After she had been nearly three years a widow, a gentleman of position, character, and means, offered | to place all at her feet by making her his wife. Though strongly urged by her friends to accept this offer, the widow could not be 1 persuaded, and the offer was declined. Another ! year passed away, and another, this ham more I successfully, sought the hand of the interesting young widow. The °ff er was accepted, and ; the arrangements for the contemplated marriage were talked over. Meanwhile the health of the lady failed ; she became ill, and change of air was strongly recommended by her medical advisers. She went to another Colony, whither it was arranged, if her health improved, the intended husband should follow her, got married, and take home his young wife with him. Under the change of climate, and from the invigorating influences of a sea voyage, the lady’s health improved, the marriage was to conic of; the bridesmaid was bespoken, and the bridegroom was to arrive by tffe ne*t efccaujer, Xhe slwuw •

came, but did not bring th£, intended husband, nor any letter from him, but brought instead a letter from the husband who was supposed to have been drowned four years ago, who had been mourned and wept for by an nlmost broken-hearted widow, and whose place had been so nearly filled by another. The feelings of the lady now may be more easily imagined than described. It would be hard to say for a time whether joy or sorrow preponderated. The wife and mother, however, quickly asserted themselves, and joy and gladness at the recovery of the lost husband and father soon prevailed The story may be relied on as I have related it.”