Rensselaer Republican, Volume 22, Number 27, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 March 1890 — A PERSONAL CARD. [ARTICLE]

A PERSONAL CARD.

Bellwood, Neb* Feb. sth, 1890. Editor Republican : Jn j astice to myself and cbi'dren and also to my friends of Rensselaer and elsewhere, 1 feel it to be my duty to make a plain statement of facts, AjTieply to what has been and is being jypalv in reference to the cause or causes of the separation between myself and wife. We were married some 9 years ago, and on my part, in perfect good faith and I will .say, in this connection, that I loved her dearly, yes, I almost worshiped her, and indulged her in all things, and all went well until I got sick with that dreadful spell of Rheumatism, in 1887. Then she turned her back on me. Withdrew all affection, gave me the cold shoulder; even at first refusing to come m the room where I lay, and after a time, she gave a reason that I had a bad disease, and also that I had been guilty of adultery and made those two charges public, even told my children so and urged and demanded a separation on that ground, stating that she could prove it by 3 witnesses, I granted her a separation, not on that ground but for the sake of peace. I left my home, and baby that is dearer to me than my own life, and came here to be with my children, and try to live in peace. But when I reached here, I found she had written to them even worse charges than she made there. Now I emphatically and positively deny the charges as untrue and demand that she prove them, and I hereby (agree, that if she will do so; that 1 will acknowledge that she is justifiable in all of her acts and I will meekly bow under public opinion whatever it may be, and grant her a divorce without trial. But if she should refuse to do so, (as she made them so public) she can be held in no other light than one who has driven me away from home, family, and dear baby, cripied aa I am, without a cause. This is perfectly fair and no one can object to it, for she is telling that I deserted her and that when 2 years are out, that 6he will get a divorce. She need not wait so long, for if there was sufficient cause for separation there is sufficient cause for a divorce, now all I ask (as 1 cannot be there) to defend myself against those charges that she is either to make them good or to acknowlege that there was some other cause and that this was trumped-up. While 1 feel that I have been greatly wronged, I do uot feel that I have a harsh word to utter but rather have asked God many, many times to forgive her, for I still hope that she did not fully realize the magnitude of the step she was taking, and yet I must be set right before my friends, and the public, and my children, or fall if guilty. I do not mean by these proposals that the charge might be possibly true, apd she be unable to prove them, but for the reason that she says that she could prove them, to give her a chance to do so or fail. But I wish to be understood to mean this, that it was planned, (that as my opinion) to get rid of me, owing to my physical condition, and financial reverses, for a purpose; and that the charges were to be used to secure a separation and that she did not plan them all herself.

W. N. JONES.