MODERN ENOCH ARDEN

Shannon News, 30 November 1926, Page 1

MODERN ENOCH ARDEN

SOLDIER’S ROMANTIC STORY. WOUNDS AND SHELL SHOCK. YOUNG WIFE MARRIES AGAIN. A romantic story reminiscent of Tennyson’s famous poem, “Enoch Arden,” has just been unfolded at Petoskey, Michigan. It centres on a girl, now in her early twenties, who married a second time because she thought her first husband was dead. But the man, after a lapse of years, turned up to claim the two children, one of whom was born after he left home and whom he had never seen. The girl was formerly Miss Dorothy Schiedel, and when 14 years of age, fired by a spirit of patriotism, she took her brother’s old Boy Scout uniform after he had enlisted, and went to Grand Rapids, where she tried to enlist. She was, however, sent home to her mother, but subsequently was allowed to help in canteen work in New York. Some time afterwards she met and married Sergeant William ». Davis, who had returned from France, suffering from severe shrapnel wounas and from shell shock and gas. He had been in the hospital six times, but had recovered sufficiently so as to be able after his marriage to find civil employment, and for a time seemed well. But not long after the birth of the first baby the-ex-soldier was obliged to go to the hospital for another operation. The second child was born three weeks after he left Petoskey. Later, according to the “New York World,” when the young mother/ endeavoured to locate her husband at the hospital, she was informed that there were three William E. Davises enrolled there. One had died, one had walked out when no guard was watching, and the third was not her husband. Tie two who had not died were reported to have blank minds, and it was thought the Davis whom Dorothy wanted was the one who had died. By this time the new baby was seven months old. The yoUng wife went to Flint and worked to support her little children. For a long time she believed their father was alive and wandering from place to place with no remembrance of her or of their little ones. Young Widow Marries Again. Dorothy tried broadcasting appeals by wireless, and had her story and his picture printed in many newspapers but three years after she had last seen him she filed a petition in Flint for a divorce and obtained it, and was awarded the custody of the children. That was two years ago, but not long after obtaining the divorce Dorothy was married to Paul Pringle, of Flint. Pringle had an ad'opted son of nine, and now he and Dorothy have a baby of their own. Last year Dorothy's mother. Mrs. Schiedel, passed the winter with her at her Flint home, and wllen she went back to Petoskey she, took the two children by the first marriage with her for an outing. Davis was not dead. He was the man who had eluded the guards and quietly walked away from the hospital in Washington. He had lost all remembrance that he had ever seen a girl named Dorothy, oi that he wa« the father of one or possibly two children. He obtained an assignment at the Arsenal at Rock island, Illinois, and went from thefe to Cheyenne, Wyoming. Then he re-enlisted in New York, and, after a while there, was assigned to duty in Detroit.

It was in Detroit that the miracle happened. Davis was struck hard on the head by a golf ball while out on the course, and rendered unconscious. When he recovered he remembered Dorothy and wanted her and the child or children, and so he wrote to Mrs. Schiedel for information. Mrs. del replied that the children were with her in Petoskey, but did not mention that Dorothy was in Flint and was married to another man. She needed time to think matters over and to confer with her daughter. Soldier And His Children.

Shortly afterwards the soldierfather drove 'to Pctosky and encountered his little son. He asked whero his mummy was and the youngster replied, “Oh, she lives in Flint and is manned.” Then the soldier saw the littlo ono he never had seen before. He was at first determined to, take both of the children away with him. Ho felt that Dorothy had a husband and another child, and that he had nobody, but Mrs. Schiedel was firm in her refusal. The court had granted their custody to Dorothy and they were hers, she said.

Davis then called up his former wife on the telephone. It was the first time since he left her to go to the hospital that she had heard his voice and the first time in those years that sho became positive that he was alive. As a result the girl went to

Petosky to talk things over. He told Dorothy he would send her money each week for the children's board and buy them clothes besides, and he was told they could visit him any time, and that he could visit them. Davis left Petosky in tears, but he has something to look forward to, as he will see his children frequently.