Rensselaer Standard, Volume 1, Number 11, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 August 1879 — A Leadville Romance. [ARTICLE]

A Leadville Romance.

From the Leadville Eclipse. Leadville is passing through its most romantic period, and from now till we settle into a city of 100,000 inhabitants such incidents as we are about to relate will be of uo infrequeflt occurrence. The circumstances came to the knowledge of a reporter at the dinner table this afternoon, and acting on the hint, the clew was followed up until at last one of those life histories, which occur now and then and inspire new faith in human nature, was revealed. Five years ago a young man whom we shall call Smith, because that is not his name, was married to a beautiful girl iu one of the Interior towns of lowa. Smith was then only 22 years old, and, though Intelligent, well educated and active, was only a clerk in a dry goods store, depending upon a meager salary for subsistence. Common prudence should have dictated to the young couple the propriety of waiting, but they loved each other and laughed at the future. The father of the young lady was ope of the pioneers of the town, rich, haulty and purse proud. He was enraged at the match, and coarsely told the young lady that she bad made a hard bed for herself and must lie on it.

With an amount of money rediculously small, considering his wealth, he dismissed her finally. The couple went to housekeeping, but with all their love and economy railed to make both ends meet. The money which the young wife brought was expended during the first year, and love, which “laughed at locksmiths,” flew out of the window when poverty came in at the door. Misunderstandings, bickerings and quarrels followed each other hi rapid (accession, and, finally, in seemed to the unhappy pair that it was impossible for them to live together, and, after a somewhat ftiore violent scene than usual, Mrs. Smith took her babe' and went ta her father’s, only to have the door shut in her face. Returning to her own home she found that her husband had left a note stating that she should never see him again. In a fit of desperation she sold the stock of furniture, placed her babe in charge of her husband’s parents, with enough money to make it comfortable for a year, and started for a large city to make a living. This was only a little more than a year ago. The old story of a young, refined and unprotected female m a large city was re-enacted in her case. She fell, and in

three months had oeoome reckless. Always finding admirers, she drifted from city to city, occasionally sending a little money for the care of ho* babe, which she loved with passionate tenderness. During all the time, however, she never forgot her husband, having learned that her love had been clouded, not extinguished. Last week she arrived in Leadville. As she descended from the coach she noticed in the throng of bronzed faces one that seemed strangely familiar, though covered with an enormous beard. It disappeared, and she went to/her lodgings with a strange feeling of unrest and isolation. The next day, in walking about town, she again encountered that face and met a glance that caused her to tremble. In another instant both her hands were seized, and she kuew that her husband, whom she had never ceased to love, stood before her. He bad come to Leadville immediately after their separation, had prospered, and, supposing that she was still at her father’s, was about starting for home with sufficient means to establish himself in business in their native town. She told him all: he forgave all, and the next day the strangely-united oouple left to begin a new and happier life.