A MAN COUNTING HIS OWN WIFE.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7620, 18 December 1886, Page 2 (Supplement)

A MAN COUNTING HIS OWN WIFE.

c- Ten yfe'Sri ago Mr V. married in Montis real. He was oh{J of the priocipa il merchants, but by a revolt ol fortune 1 was compelled to suspend payment booe n after marriage. He loved his wife, anc 5f the idea of involving her in his disasters •d greatly affected him. Mr V. resolved tc ie leave without saying anything about it, ?i He wished Ilia disappearance to remain s it mystery. Bat he had a pjurpoeo. "1 g Vt'il l fio ; " he reßolved, "to Australia ond i- therfl Miend m? fortunes, or die tinit known " Out merchant embarked it clandestinely, and eight years after hit y flight was not llipuglifc of. Mw V. wopt, but in vain. Mr V. had left to Ins forlorn wifo an minti income o£ £100. At Montreal they euppoaeu P irn aeaa fl Ois wifo wopt bitterly, but aha at... that sorrow jaundiced her complexion and dimmed her eyes ; therefore she 0 ceased all aweetly her ro'fc of Niobe. Our Penelope could smile like a young widow ? of 18. She was faithful to her wandering husband 18 long morithß. Thinking 1 herself young Bhe leui't her ear to tender proposals ; she roviewed her geography of love and one fine morning contracted a new marriage. Meantime tho first 1 husband laboured in the mines. Falling 1 upon an auriferous vein, he suddenly b "obtained a large sum, and, had his only j motive been the love of gain, would have immediately returned to Montreal. But | his dear Louisa must eat only from silver ' and drink only from gold. But tho be- . loved Louisa was again married. While making up his mind as to the futuro an '' epidemic prevailed, .and Mr V. caught [ the smallpox, and that so ooverely as to ; be completely disfigured. Disgusted with ' Australia, he sold bis property- imd I embarked. During this interval the second husband died of consumption,, [ Mr V. landed at Portland, flew to Mont--1 real, und wont to an ho'cl without arous- ' iug asy suspicion ns to who he was. He ' enquired for Mrs V. ; no one knew auoh a person ; but Mr V. insisted; Finally ha wns told that she was now the Widow 1 S. Mr V. scratched hia head. They poiuted out to him Widow S. and he ■ecognised his wife, as charming as when he left her. Mr V. fouud it very strange to pny hia addresses to his own wife. But he did it; he courtedhis own wife three months. He recognised her ; did elie recognise him ? It is more than we know. He waa introduced to her with his pounds,' shilling, and pence. Though scarred and pitted with smallpox,- Mr. V. won the heart of his own wifo. — Montreal Paper.