Misc Newspaper Articles - 1898 Madison County, Mo ************************************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm Archives by: Sharon Hackworth ************************************************************************ 1898 Democrat News, Fredericktown, Mo November 1898 Deserted and Alone Minnie Hines Returning to Her Old Home a Heartbroken Woman. Madison County Girl’s Story. She was the Belle of Fredericktown, Until William Hines Came A-Wooing and Won Her. St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Four Years ago there lived in Madison County, Mo., a sweet faced schoolgirl, just developing into womanhood. She was Minne Rose, aged 16 years, the daughter of a prosperous farmer. Her beauty charmed the villagers and many a wealth-blessed farmer had ardent siege to her heart. But Cupid led her to choose William Hines, a poor mechanic. He was only a few years her senior and he held out roseate promises to Minnie for the future. They were married and the good men and women from the surrounding country flocked to the wedding ceremony. All went well with the happy couple for a year or more. A bouncing baby boy blessed the union. That little fellow toddled around the emigrants` room in Union Station Saturday morning. Watching him, while tears glistened in her eyes, was his mother, with a two months-old infant in her arms. The bright dream of her honeymoon had vanished she was facing the stern realities of life. Deserted by her husband and left all but penniless, she was waiting for a train to take her back to the old homestead. We may never guess what mistakes we may make in marrying, said the distressed wife and mother, until it is too late. Two years ago we moved to Edwardsville, Ill. Where Will got a position at the waterworks. He always treated me kindly up to a short while ago. Then he fell in with a bad lot and began to drink. His disposition changed and he was no longer a faithful husband. Night after night I worried about his welfare. He would come staggering in at all hours and abuse and strike me without reason. When he came to his senses again he would plead for forgiveness. Three weeks ago he left the house and never returned. Why he did so I cannot imagine. He gave up his job at the waterworks, and his friends said he had left town. He told them he didn’t care for me any longer. I wrote to my father and he told me to come home at once. But I waited for Will, thinking he would reconsider his action. Not one word came and worn out with anxiety I packed my trunk and started home. I had so many chances to marry well, but I let them all go by for Will. And this is the end of it all. We have tried to find out something in regard to the above, but can learn nothing. Ed. Democrat News.