A WAR ROMANCE October 25 1894
Submitted by Don Bankston
Middle Ga. Argus � Week of October 25, 1894
Nelson Holden of Troup county, Georgia, joined the first regiment from the
state when the war broke out. He left behind a young and very beautiful wife,
having been married only a few months. Holden was a good soldier, and only
once during the war did he obtain a furlough and visit his wife. He was at
home a short time during the summer of 1863 and soon after he returned was
taken prisoner. Before Holden had an opportunity of writing to his wife after
his capture, he was taken ill with a slow malarial fever. When captured,
Holden had become separated from his company, and his comrades thought he had
been killed in battle.
Mrs. Holden�s first notice of the supposed death of her husband was contained
in some resolutions passed by his company, a copy of which was forwarded to the
family.
Without making any investigation Mrs. Holden mourned her husband as dead, while
he was lingering between life and death in a northern prison. It was many
months before he fully recovered from the effects of the terrible fever.
Holden was not released until after the close of the war, and weak from his
long illness and penniless, he started to make his way to the little home in
Georgia. He was compelled to seek employment several times to earn money to
continue his journey, and it was late in the Autumn of 1865 when Holden came in
sight of his little home. He was a wreck of his former self, and fully
realized that it would be difficult for his own wife to recognize him.
Arriving at his home he had left more than two years before, Holden found it
occupied by strangers. Without disclosing his identity he asked where Mrs.
Holden was.
O, she married Chris Jones and moved away last spring, was answer received.
Holden was prostrated by the shock of this startling intelligence, but, without
giving his name, he turned and walked slowly from the little home where the
happiest hours of his life had been passed.
He made no effort to find his wife but continued his journey to Clay County,
Alabama.
Holden worked a while as a farm laborer and finally saved enough money to
purchase a small farm of his own. In time old love was forgotten and he
married again.
Holden prospered, and after a few years owned one of the best farms in the
county. Several children were born, and it was not long until his first
marriage seemed like a dream.
Four years ago, Mrs. Holden No. 2 died, leaving five children. About a year
after the death of his wife Mr. Holden sold a portion of his farm to a man
named Jones from Georgia. Mr. Jones built a house and moved his family to
Alabama.
Soon the two farmers became good friends, but Mr. Holden had never been to the
house of his neighbor, and had never seen his wife.
Less than a year ago Mr. Jones died. His neighbor, Mr. Holden, of course,
attended the funeral, and caused no little excitement by going off in a dead
faint when introduced to the weeping widow of the dead man. This was not the
time and place for explanations, and the next day after the funeral, Mr. Holden
called on his former wife, and this time the recognition was mutual.
Mrs. Jones period of mourning will expire in a few days, and then she will be
quietly married again to the husband of her youth. She is still a beautiful
woman, and has three children living and Mr. Holden has five. Only a few of
their most intimate friends know the secret of their former marriage.
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