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THE BUTLER HERALD.
\V. N. BENNS.
Editor and Pullttlier.
8obhoiiipxion Pbiob $1.00. Pkb Annum.
TUESDAY JULY 22 hd 1 PVtt.
Divorced I
The little farm began to look j
heal thief i as the slimmer wore on
ft!n<H ! R straighten^ Up; the
weeSMisappeared; the torn grew
marvetwwly; the brittfs and elders
were rooted up tVotn the fiblds and
fence rowe; the ariitoals looked fat
ter, sleeker and hrtppief; the cot
tage looked neater.
Time wore oti, and the great
change wae the more strongly
marked each day. Harry’s cred'-
‘He’ll go to the dogs, now.’
‘Of course he will.’ . -
‘By all means. Only see how he! ,nrs called and told him they Won
acted when his wife lived with not be hard on him, seeing * ,at : Ms cheek, and d
him! No* that she's left him, and'^ was doing his best,- and he Th" lonely man
he was not reading noi He had self-reproachful Way, ‘I might
allowed it to dron wi.hj its P»t«« have borne with yo „ loD g er ..
looking mutely to the celling—and] ^ t. 1^.1
his face was supported ' ' " "
th him/
all restraint is removed, he’ll go
the rest of the downward way iu
do time. Poor Nettie! I wonder
she stood it so long!’
•I’ll give him just a yehr to be
buried *
‘Pshaw! Hall that time will fin
ish him.*
‘Well, 1 pity him, too, but I
pity her move. He brought mise
ry on both.* 0.
Such was the gossip of halt a
dozen village!s, who stood in front,
of the principle store, one summer
evening, while the subject of their
remarks went staggering along on
the opposite side of the street.
It was evident that he was try
ing to walk straight, and not ap-
p?ar intoxicated, but such endeav
ors always seem to make such a
drunken man walk more crooked.
Well, It proved one thing; that he
'.van irot yet inn. io nil* Pelise of 4
shame—that he utill retained a
little pride, and a lingering aver
sion of being ridiculed and despis
ed.
But Harry Rogers had carried
on at a learfnl rate for a year or
two pai*t. lie had just one vice—
drink—hut that was euough. He
had become an actual diunkard by
degrees, and was every day grow
ing more abandoned. He had mar
ried a worthy farmer's daughter,
Nettie Ray, only a few years pre
viously, and such had been his
conduct during more than a year
past that she, seeing no hope of
liis reform, had been obliged to
cast him loose, to pursue his profi-
gate course atom ; and a legal sep
aration had just then been effected.
It was sud, indeed, hut no other
course seemed to be left her.
Harry’s home was on a little
farm a mile from town. He own
ed it, but then it was heavily
mortgaged, aud in another year
foreclosure was certaiu. It was
not likely his creditors would spare
__ hiift, when he rurde no effort to
meet his obligations, aud spent hit*
time in riotou3 and disgraceful
conduct.
A week passed after that sum
mer evening on which all had
agreed in predicting his early ruiu
—two weeks—three week?—a
month or two. What stran u
mystery is here? To the utter be
wilderment of the prophesying sa
ges, Harry discontinued visiting
the tavern, and was rarely ever
seen in the village. When he did
come to the store, he speedily trans
acted his business and went home
—sober.
But wonders nev-r cea j i?, when
they get a start. He was next re
ported as actually at work on h.s
tarra. Had but one man seen this
and told it iu the village he would
have been marked as a man lack
ing veracity; hut a number of
neighbors saw it and told it,, aud
their combined testimony was
worthy of all cred' uoe.
might have, liis own time about
paying off his debts and clearing
bis farm of the mortgage.
The fall came and the farm
yielded an abuudance of golden
corn and fruit; such crops, indeed,
as it had never produced before,
and Harry fountl himself begin
ning to drift along with tide of
prosperity.
And Nettie Ray had begnn to
live her young girlhoo^ver again,
as it were, un^^^r father’s roof;
hut. somehow, it was not like the
happy joyous girlhood of memory.
It Was sober and quiet now, and
Nettie fell into trains of musing
and every now and then parsed
through her mind a certain sad
thought—she was ueither maid
nor wife.
Slv 4 nvoided the vicinity of her
late home, dor had she once seen
Hairy since the FepaWlVnrn; "but
she had heard of him occasionally,
and knew that he was a changed
man. Still, but the knowledge
brought, her hut. a melancholy
atisfactlon. The reform had come
too late—to late! There was
wide gulf between them now.
But. one evening, in the golden
October, Nettie found herself rath
er obliged to pnss Harry’s farm.
It lay between her father’s house
and the village, but she had here
tofore taken a round about road in
going and returning from the vil
lage. On the evening in question,
however, she had been detained in
the village, unconsciously, till it
was nearly dark, aud she determin
ed to hazard the nearest road home.
It would be fully dark wheo she
would passhis house, and the chan
ces were that he would not see her.
She wouldn’t have him see her for
the world!
When she arrived opposite the
house, she perceived that there
was a light in the little sitting
room. Her first impulse was to
hurry by, but some more powerful
influence prompted her to stop.
She did so, and stood timidly at
the farther side of the road, gazing
longingly at the house that had
been a home for her—first of hap
piness. then of misery. By and
by she felt an irresistible yearn
ing to look at the room once more,
He was evidently within, and there
was no danger that he would see
her. So she walked hurridly across
the road, opened the gale softly,
and stepped into the lawn. An
other moment, and she was at the
window,looking in. What singu
lar behavior! hut she could not
help it-.
The li tie room was aR n°at as
when she hersf-lfhad watched over
it. A cheerful fire was burning
in the grate, although it was not
very cold, and a lighted lamp stood
on the table. It was there that
Harry was sitting. How her heart
hounded as she caught sight of him
He held iu his right hand a book,
his scanty library
coaled in the left h
resting on the tal
asleep, or was buri
erie? Nett** tho\?
later was
was tom *
‘I W88 1
she said
But a momflfl^ftter Jjer heart
Was mote than touched, when she
was sure she saw a tear roll down
bis cheek, and drop upoBj the book
was not asleep;
he was crying.
She could not help it All that
was womanly in her heart was
aroused, and she waR at * the door
in a moment. No ceretnony*—she
burs* into the sitting tyoni and
was at h.s side.
‘Oh, Harry!’
Her voice quivered with emotion.
‘Why, Nettiel’ he ^reclaimed,
trying to hide his tearaP-inen are
ashamed of them—‘Is—tiJ; you?’
‘Yes, Harry!’ hiding her face in
her hands, ‘I passing—looked
in—I paw you here so lonely, and
could not help coming in. I thought
of the time when we were happy
here, and— ’
Then her womanly teitrs could
he repressed no longer, There was
no use trying to hid** them. Be
sides, her voice broke down aud
she could say no more just. then.
‘Nettie!' lie arose and took both
'if her bauds from her fscdhind held
them in liis own. ‘I thejught
had blotted me out of ymV memo-
—W*
‘No, no, Harry 1’ she sobbed, ‘1
could not do that. I could not
help leaving you; but I left you
loving yon more than ever. Oh!
I have been unhappy since!’
‘Nettie, you have heard that I—'
‘Yes, I have heard that you are
changed—that you no longer drink
any more—that you are again man
ly and industrious as you used to
he; hut how lotn-ly you must lr
here?’ and the bars gushed forth
anew, us her heart what her
lips spoke.
Yes. I'm lonely, Nettie—mor*-
so than you may think; but I dc-
this puuifhment for th« way
I have acted. I had no disencour-
agemonts, I had nothing to make
me do so. It was only a passion
for drink, that it seemed impossi
ble for me to overcome. You were
all a wife should be or Qould bo.
When you left me I thought I
should become more recklosss than
ever. Only a day or two after I
knew you had left me for good, 1
was in town, drunk, aud 1 heard
some of ihe village people—they
did not thiuk I Could hear them
across he street—passing all sorts
of remaKs about me, saying that I
was a doomed man for pertain,
that my destruction was near. Al
though intoxicated, it startled me,
and tor the first time I felt the
full force of separation, audrealiz-
ed that ruin stared me iti^k face.
I had a bottle of whisk my j
pocket at the time, and^Hicn 1|
got out of town I smashed it, bath
halt con- I ’No, no * Nettie, it was best. It.
lbows i has brought us certain happiness
a* he! now. God bless you for coming
ad rev-; into ray lonely houle this evening!'
^heart! arms were around her neck,
and he kissed her forehead.
The moon was rising and it had
never looked so happy as it did
while he walked home with Nettie
to her father’s.
S • Harry Rogers and Nettie Ray
married again and there is no di
vorce that could separate them now
STRANGER THAN FICTION.
A Strange Story of Crime—Tni
Recovery of a Lost Daughter
After a Search of Four
teen Years.
Correspondence News nnd Conner.]
We read a great deal iu the
newspapers about the abduction of
Charley Ross, and of the hitherto
fruitless efforts made to ascertain
his whereabouts. The story of
tlio loss nnd final recovery of a daugh
ter, after fourteen yesrs of constant
search, has recontly come to our know!
edge, which, fnt* thrilling interest, ex
ceeds anything we have read about
Charley Ross.
During the late war there lived at
Waynesboro, the comity seat of Burke
county, Gu., a Mr. and Mrs. Holland,
the happy parents of two little cliildi
description of Mr. rfollandV wife. That
this wohfan had a young girl with her,
not Naithcock’a child, whose age and
general ap|>earance pointed to her as
the long lost datigntef*.
It was first reported that the girl
shohld riln away from her mother nnd
go to Georgia; but to make assurance
doubly sure, Mr. Holland was advised
to come himself, as he alone could
identify the wothan as his former wife.
He accordingly came by rail to Pee-
Dee Bridge of the Wilmington, Colum
bia and Augusta Railroad.Leaviug that
point he walked to Mr. James P. Ha*
selden’s; who lived a few miles from
the station, arriving there about dark
ot the 4th inst. He remained with Mr.
Huse!den that night. After making
known liis errand Mr, Husielden’s sym
pathies were so aroused that he carried
him in his buggy, the next day to
where Haithcock lives. Fortunitely,
perhaps, Haithcock, who is snid to he
dodging from the revenue officers for
retailing whisky contrary to law, was
not at home. On arriving at liis cab
in Mr. Holland pushed open the door,
which was partly ajar, aiid there sat
liis former wife, surrounded by her
three Haithcock children and his own
daughter. He spoke to his wife famil
iarly, saying “iiowdy, Polly Ann.” In
great surprise she replied, “Why,
Howdy Will!” After shaking hands
with her, he asked, pointing to a hand*
some young girl, if that was E.uma?
She said it. wus. He took the girl’s
hand, nnd with tears in his eyes, told
her ha was her father; that she had
tlio nappy parents ot two littlecluluren, 1,01 waH lier *«'
.aJkny.-m, idLw -in iJ. —r -h»an Atslinil
practicing lawyer, and a man of intel- 'y fhree years old; that ho had been
ligence and standing iu the communi- searching for her for the last fourteen
ty. Mrs. Holland was of a respectable years, that thank God! he had found
family, and a lady of education and of her at last, and that ho had come
good social standing.
During the war Mr. Holland volun
teered and waft a good soldier till the
surrender. About the year 1864—65
a man by the name of Land Haithcock
appeared in that part of Georgia. H«
passed himself ofi* us a horse trudsr and
a gentleman of wealth, but in reality
was ahorse thief. He appeared to
have plenty of money, drov e fine horses,
smoked fine cigars, dressed well, aud
wus received into the best society
During Mr. Holland’s absence iu the
war he ingratiated himself into tli
good graces of Mrs. Holland. M
Holland returned liomeiu April) 1865.
Jn a few days after Mr. Holland's
turn, anil while waiting an opportunity
to take summary vengeance
cock, liis wife suddenly lof*. with Haith
cock, carrying with her his little daugh
ter, three years old. From that time
to this they have never been
hut part of the State. About the time
of thcii sudden depaiture a horse and
buggy mysteriously disappeaied, and
which is supposed to have been stolen
by Haithcock, with which they made
their way to Brownsville, Mulbon
county,in Sotith Carolina,where Haith
cook was horn and brought up. Fron
that time till throe weeks ago Mr. Hol
land never henrd anything of thewliere-
ed my face in a little clear stream ; “bouts of his wife and child. During
of water at the roadside, and si-1 the past fourteen years lie lias been
lently resolved never to touch constantly engaged, whene
whiohky again.
I had tried it long enough to know
that I could not mink and be tem
perate. It was hard for mtjjf^keep
my resolve tor the firs^
two; but 1 stuck to it,
taste for drink disappoal
nothing for it now, and wSfTl not
touch it if rau in streams. Now,
Nettie, if you love me as ever—and
God knows that 1 love you the
same—let us start anew, let us get
married over again, and the bit-
ter experience of the last two years
will only enhance our happiness.
Nettie ( dear, what do you say?’
She could not answer. Bhe was
crying as though her heart would
break, anil her head was pillowed
on his breast. It was more elo
quent* Yes’ than she could have
spoken with the tongue.
spare the lime from his business, in
prosecuting the search for his child.
He traveled over the greater part of
Georgia, aud portions of Mississippi,
Alabama, Florida and South Carolina,
but never could obtain the slightest
cluo as to where she was. Ho tiied
advertising iu the newspapers offer
large rewards for her
take her to a comfortable home, and
from the poverty and misery in which
she had been raised. Ilo asked her if
she was willing to go with him. She
replied that she was. Upon this, the
old woman and the other children set
up a great lanieiitation, and said she
should never go. They seized hold of
her, but by some exertion Holluud,
with her assistance, succeeded in re
leasing tier and getting her away from
the house. They went to a neighbor’s
where the girl was hired out as an or
dinary field hand, and got the few ar
ticles Of wearing apparel which she
possessed. After purchasing a pair
of shoes and other articles at a store
hard by, they returned that night with
Mr. Ilaselden to liis house, where they
were cordhilly received, and sent next
morning rejoicifig on their way to the
station at Fee Deo, and, we suppose,
arrived at home the next day. The
girl had been informed by some sym
pathizing neighbor, who aud what she
was, and that her father was coming
fo.t her, which accounts for the readi
ness with which she cousfmted to go
with him. She was seventeen years'
old the 3d day of April last, and is a
girl of good uddress and tine appear
ance. She is of course somewhat sun
burnt, with rough hands and large
feet, having been accustomed to labor
in the fields for her daily bread. Slio
is very illiterate, never having attend
ed school a day in her life. Stic can
neither read nor write. Her neighbors
all say she is a clever, virtuous girl,
which is no doubt very gratifying to
her father. Her brother, two years
her senior, of whom she says she has a
faint recollection, is a young man of
fair education, and is now engaged iu
teaching school in Georgia Her father,
Mr. Holland, is a practicing lawyer
nitd a man ot education and refinement;
nothing Came of it but heavy lulls and' J e « H Hy divorced from his
. . . . rr !• n I first wife,-and is now man-fed and has
grievous disappointment. Ho tiu-illy j ^ f ; *i ii|
concluded to stay at home and write Sow', Mr. Brlitor, these atethe facts,
to the county officials of every county '• If some ot the nnnieroit- no'VAt writers,*
throughout the whole country. After { wlum) the News and Courier is eu -
pursmug this plan for a long time, lie
was finally informed by one of the
county officials of Marlboro county
that Laud Haithcock Jived in the
Brownsville section of tbit count v
wHh a woman who answered to the pnetronv”
deiivoriiig to eucourag”, would take
them up ami spin them out, a tala
might lie woven which would he of
thrilling interest. At any iatu the
above, demonstrates the truth of the
•Id adagn, that ‘‘Truth 13 stranger than’
M-a in Ay.*