Seven Wives and Seven Prisons, page 9 by L. A. Abbott
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s pocket, and he accepted my proposal. We rode to his house, and he went into the back-room by direction of his daughter while she and I talked in the hall. I explained mat- ters as well as I could; I promised to see her again, and that very soon. My horse and buggy were at the door. Hastily bidding my new and young wife "good-bye," I sprang into the buggy and drove rapidly away. The father rushed to the door and raised a great hue and cry, and what was more, raised the neighbors; I had not driven five miles before all Worthington was after me. But I had the start, the best horse, and I led in the race. I drove to Hancock, N.Y., where my pursuers lost the trail; thence to Bennington, Vt., next to Brattleboro, Vt., and from there to Templeton, Mass. What befel me at Templeton, shall be related in the next chapter.
CHAPTER II.
MISERIES FROM MY SECOND MARRIAGE.
LOVE-MAKING IN MASSACHUSETTS-ARREST FOR BIGAMY- TRIAL AT NORTHAMPTON-A STUNNING SENTENCE-SENT TO STATE PRISON-LEARNING THE BRUSH BUSINESS- SHARPENING PICKS-PRISON FARE-IN THE HOSPITAL-KIND TREATMENT-SUCCESSFUL HORSE SHOEING-THE WARDEN MY FRIEND-EFFORTS FOR MY RELEASE-A FULL PARDON.
At Templeton I speedily made known my profession, and soon had a very good medical practice which one or two "remarkable cures" materially increased. I was doing well and making money. I boarded in a respectable farmer's family, and after living there about six months there came another most unhappy occurrence. From the day, almost, when I began to board with this farmer there sprung up a strong attachment between myself and his youngest daughter which soon ripened into mutual love. She rode about with me when I went to see my patients, who were getting to be numerous, and we were much in each other's company.
On one occasion she accompanied me to Worces- ter where I had some patients. We went to a public house where she and her family were well known, and when she was asked