so many years had elapsed, and especially since I hadn’t seen the woman for full six years, and was not supposed to know whether she was alive or dead, why, it was as good as a divorce; so reasoned Elizabeth, and it was precisely my own reasoning, and the reasoning which had got me into numberless difficulties, to say nothing of jails and prisons.  But the brother had his doubts about it, and came and talked to me on the subject several times.  We quarrelled about it.  He threatened to have me arrested for bigamy.  I told him that if he took a step in that direction I would flog him.  Then he had me brought before a justice for threatening him, with a view to having me put under bonds to keep the peace.  I employed a lawyer who managed my case so well that the justice concluded there was no cause of action against me.

But this lawyer informed me that the brother was putting, even then, another rod in pickle for me, and that I had better clear out.  I took his advice, I went to the widow’s house, packed my trunk, gathered together what money I could readily lay hands upon, and with about $300 in my pocket, I started for New York, staying that night at a hotel in Courtland street.

The following morning I went over to Jersey City, hired a saddle-horse, and rode to Newark.  The precise object of my journey I do not think I knew myself; but I must have had some vague idea of persuading Elizabeth to leave Newark and join me in New York or elsewhere.  I confess, too, that I was more or less under the influence of liquor, and considerably more than less.  However, no one would have noticed this in my appearance or demeanor.  I rode directly to Elizabeth’s door, hitched my horse, and went into the house.  The moment my wife saw me she cried out: 

“For God’s sake get out of this house and out of town as soon as you can; they have been watching for you ever since yesterday; they’ve got a warrant for your arrest; don’t stay here one moment.”

I asked her if she was willing to follow me, and she said she would do so if she only dared but her brother had made an awful row, and had sworn he would put me in prison anyhow; I had better go back to New York and await events.  I started for the door, and was unhitching my horse, when the brother and a half dozen more were upon me.  I sprang to the saddle.  They tried to stop me; the over-eager brother even caught me by the foot; but I dashed through the crowd and rode like mad to Jersey City, returned the horse to the livery stable, crossed the ferry to New York, went to my hotel, got my trunk, and started for Hartford, Conn., where I arrived in the evening.

This was in the month of June, 1854.  I went to the old Exchange Hotel in State street, and very soon acquired a good practice.  Indeed, it seems as if I was always successful enough in my medical business-my mishaps have been in the matrimonial line.  When I had been in Hartford about three months, and was well settled, I thought I would go down to New York and see a married sister of Elizabeth’s, who was living there, and try to find out how matters were going on over in Newark.  That I found out fully, if not exactly to my satisfaction, will appear anon.