Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1850-05-24


not before entered. He walked into the
counting house where sat gentleman ap-
parently about forty years Of age To
the youths inquiry whether he was at the
head Of the establishment, he replied in
the Affirmative
=" " hat do you wish, my lad ?" he in
quired
Do you want lad to assist in your
storeE l have no recommendations to of
fer you, sir, he continued modestlv. L
have just arrived in the steamboat from
the north, and have neither money nor
friends. [ cannot even buy lodging for
the night
And seeing the merchant look ineredu
lousy at him. he could contain himself no
longer, but said imploringiy-
. Oh, sir, do not refuse and the tears
trickled down his cheeks
/ The merchant, touched by his grief. and
! convinced by the openness Of his manner
hesltated but q moment. and then took
him to his house A few days proved
\ the truth Of the youths story. and he was
employed at once by his new benefactgr.
In the course Of time he rose bv degrees
until he became head clerk in the estab-
/ hshmeHt Of Mr. Thompson lie also. bv
( his amiableness became the fsv0rite Of the
wealthy family Of the employer with whom
he resided All loved him and he loved
them in return as father. mother and sis
ter For though Charles for it wa this
! Charles EIiston.) thought that Emma
/ Thompson was almost as beautiful as his
own Helen. yet lie still remained faithful
TO the latter. and could bnt think Of the
former as sister
Five years rolled b., and he had now
/ become proprietor Of the large establish
meut which he had entered as an cr-and
boy, Mr Thompson having retired from
business.
/ One evening he was sitting in familiar
conversation with the family, when Mrs
Thompson. after looking steadtastlv at
. Charles for some time, remarked how
much Emma and he resemb-ed each 9th
Yes" said her husband g have often
observed it-they look as much alike as
though they were really brother and SIS
ter Our Cbarles-poor lttle fellow.
could not have been more like Emma
Your Charles | never knew Won
had any other child besides Emma said
Charles When did lie die 2"
Would to God he had died ezc1aim-
ed Mrs Thompson then wolld [ have
known he was In Heaven. bat u0w. per
haps. he Is bufeted about by strangers.
whose hard hearts can seldom feel Ike
parents"
And then She gave vent 70 her feelings
! in tears
/ He was lost then ?" asked Charles
~ &
seventeen years a-o, Mary and myself
were travelling for the benefit ofoUr health
to visit some friends in New York city,
took with rs our little Charles. who was
scarcely four years Old and then our only
child We arrived there In safety. and
after sJaviug with our friends some time
set out 0n our retutu home Anxious to
prosecute our journey, We Immediately
on our arrival took the steamboat t9 pro-
cCed on. / went 70 see to the safety Of
our baggage, thinking that my Narv and
Charles we're in the cabin. but what was
nv surprise when ON going 10 the cabin
some time after to find Mary there alone
She thought I had Charles with me. and
she swooned away when [ informed her
Lad not We scare ed the boat over. bat
no Charles could be found and then it
struck rs that he had wandered on shore
before the boat loft the wharf and c9Ese-
queutlv was left behind How narrowing
were our thoughts to rhiEk that every
minute the distance was Increasing be-
tween Us and our dearly beloved child
But there was thought still more dis
tressing Perhaps he had fallen over
board. unseen. and was drowned. How
ever [ determined. on arriving n New
. Orleans and leaving Mary with her friends
and relations to return to Philadelphia
and spare no pains or expense IN trying
4 To discover his fate but the great men
. tai excitement and bodily fatigue had
undergone. threw me into a fever on the
wav. and it was several months before [
/ recovered. When l did, and arrived in
+ PHILADELPHIA. no trace could be discover
ed Of our child. and never since have we
heard ANYTHING concerning him. But God
be praised Charles, lie has given us son
in youa
But was there no mark by which he
could have been known if he hAd been left
behind. as YOU first supposed g. asked
Charles eagerly
E. Yes. there we're scars of dogs teeth on
his left wrist and besides he wore lock
et-a birthday present from his father
around his neck. with Charles engraven
GA it. said Mrs Thompson. with tears IN
her ewes
Then father. mother" said Charles.
barring his arm and drawing from his b7-
som a lockc-. which he threw into Mrs
Tuomps0n's lap" behold your long lost
son
For an instant the~ stood amazed-tLe