ears developed
that had wedded a most unworthy woman.

Seventeen months after our marriage, our oldest child, Henry, was born.
Meanwhile we had gone to Sidney, Delaware County, where my father opened
a shop. I still continued in business with him, and during our stay at
Sidney, my daughter, Elizabeth, was born. From Sidney, my father wanted
to go to Bainbridge, Chenango, County, N.Y., and I went with him,
leaving my wife and the children at Sidney, while we prospected. As
usual my father started a blacksmith-shop; but I bought a hundred acres
of timber land, went to lumbering, and made money. We had a house about
four miles from the village, I living with my father, and as soon as
found out that we were doing well in business, I sent to Sidney for
my wife and children. They were to come by stage, and were due, after
passing through Bainbridge, at our house at four o'clock in the morning.
We were up early to meet the stage; but when it arrived, the driver told
us that my wife had stopped at the public house in Bainbridge.

Wondering what this could mean, I at once set out with my brother and
walked over to the village. It was daylight when we arrived, and knocked
loudly at the public house door. After considerable delay, the clerk
came to the door and let us in. He also asked as to "take something,"
which we did. The clerk knew us well, and I inquired if my wife was in
the house; he said she was, told us what room she was in, and we went up
stairs and found her in bed with her children. Waking her, I asked her
why she did not come home, in the stage? She replied that the clerk down
stairs told her that the stage did not go beyond the house, and that she
expected to walk over, as soon as it was daylight, or that possibly we
might come for her.

I declare, I was so young and unsophisticated that I suspected nothing,
and blamed only the stupidity, as I supposed, of the clerk in telling
her that the stage did not go beyond Bainbridge. My wife got up and
dressed herself and the children, and then as it was broad daylight,
after endeavoring, ineffectually, to get a conveyance, we started for
home on foot, she leading the little boy, and I carrying the youngest
child. We were not far on our way when she suddenly stopped, stooped
down, and exclaimed:

"O! see what I have found in the road."

And she showed me a ten dollar bill. I was quite surprised, and
verdantly enough, advised looking around for more money, which my wife