Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1828-09-02

"who is Sir Jobos inquired her hostess. ooh,
forgot you would not know whom meant.
He is Sir John tombstone, of Montreal, son Of
Sir John tombstone, who gave his name 10
town in New York. church aud mansion
house he built, are still in tolerable repair
My husband went TO see them when he was In
America, on account Of tie friendship between
the tombstone family and ours Young Sir
John has son in the 9etb regiment 81 his Ma
jes,y's troops. My brother sent letters to Dir
John tombstone by me-" at is great pity
you cid not send to him, when you were IN
Quebec" said her hostess. sit is great pity,
indeed" she observed, "but did not rrinem-
Der any thing about aim then; the gold COMBS
brought him 10 my mind" She saiu MI.
Buchanan, the British Consul at New York,
was her cousin on his mothers side; her name
having been Bowring. She objected to writing
to him, until she could reach New Haven,
where her husband had left all the funds he
had with him in this country; when urged 10 DO
it, however, she did not shrink from it-bu'
wrote plain statement of her distressing snip
wreck. Her letter was inclosed IN Ole from
her host, begging to be informed whether sueh
people as she talked Of, lived in the places she
mentioned, and asking multitude OF minute
questions likely 10 throw light on the affair."
Another letter was written 10 the POSTMASTER In
New Haven, Connecticut, in hopes OF obtain
ing information concerning ]. Townsend. Both
these letters remained for a long time unanswer.
ed. In the mean time, her friends were laughed
at by some, for taking such interest in common
vagabond but those who most observed her
manners, and heard her talk in the hours OF ra-
,ionality, believed her story to be true. She
x~oI> <,f he WhpPlOck-
having been one of her fathers correspondents
and related several domestic details she had
read in his letters. When told that the wife OF
President Allen, Of Brunswick, was the daueh-
ter of President Wheelock, she expressed a
wish to see her, in hopes she had some Of her
fathers letters. Her hostess accompanied her
to Brunswick for this purpose. Mrs. Allen
had none Of the letters, but she recollectcd
Bowring Of London, as one Of her fathers
friends; and when asked concerning the domes.
tic details OF the family, which Mr.. Bradlee
had related, she said they were strictly true.
Presiden, Allen also knew Of Sir John John
stone, of Montreal, descended from old Sir John
tombstone.
During the time all this Was happening, the
wretched mother was with great difficulty re-
strained from her wanGerings: New Haven and
her bov were the only ideas that kept constant
possession of her shattered mind; and al times
she was like chained wild creature straining
TO be off. Once she made her escape, but was
overtaken a few hours af:er, and persuaded
to return. During this short absence, her hos.
tess observed small bunch under the carpet
near her bedside; and on removing it, found II
to be The little blue robe she had grasped at the
time Of the shipwreck It was very dirty, and
retained offensive marks of the child's sea.
sickness. When the wanderer was brought
back, her JOY was grea, at finding the robe she
thought she had lost. She was very averse TO
having i, washed, and the proposal seemed 10
observed, 'It is just as the little creature last
wore tiff it must be washed for decency's
sake, wish it might be done without my know
ledge"
Answers to the letters did no, arrive; and the
will Of the maniac was no longer 10 be con-
troIled. Comfortably dressed, and furnis he'd
with money, and letters to the British Vice
Consul in Portland, she recommended her Jour-
uey. A very rational letter from her 10 her
hostess, announced the kind reception she met
from Mr.. Sherwood. the British Vice Consul
a: Portland; and polite letter from that gen
tleman expressed gratitude for her kindness to
distressed countrywoman;-a conviction OF
the uu'u vi "e' o'oiy, anu Pe''eSt ieSoieSuoh
Of the Giro umstances ofthe shipwreck, to which
she alluded Another letter from Mrs. Brad
lee, dated Boston, spoke of The kindness Of Sc
veral English people in that place, and her in
tenlion 10 go to New Haven Immediately. This
is the last that has been heard Of her. Alter
her departure, a letter from the postmaster al
New Haven was received, in which the writer
apologIsed for his silence, by stating he had
been long time absent. The amount Of his
letter was, that he knew Of no gentleman by the
name of James Townsend in that place. A
bout The same time letter was received from
James Buchanan. Esq. New York. TWAS very
cold and laconlc; answered no questions; dis
claimed relationship with person by the name
Of Mrs. Bradlee; said the woman was delirious,
and should be put into an hospital.
No one knows what has become of this in
teresting wanderer. Perhaps when she arrived
at New Haven, and found her pursuit hopeless,
the little light in her mind was cxtinguished
forever. If her story be All imposition, il GER
tainly does not seem like il. There are five or
SIX New Ravens in the United States If James
Townsend resides in any one Of them, we trust