Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1858-10-15
CHAPTER ".

Old Mr. Mason lived to sec the event he so much de-
sired, and vas then gathered to his Fathers The
riage occurred in such high life the Masons led,
the custom in those days, announced in all the
public prints of the day. and shortly afterwards Charley
Mason received letter from very distinguished source
inquiring if the Matte Clifton he had married was
native of the State of Pennsylvania.
The letter was answered in the affirmative, and
Charley and Matte Mason sitting beautiful
summers evening" their beautiful mansion recounting
some of the scenes of their past e carriage stopped
in front Of their door, and noble looking parsonage,
with dgnifed air and countenance stepped from it and
assembled the steps.
1t was evident from the personal appearance of the
stranger that be was man of distinction.
He was met at the door by Charley Mason, to whom
the stranger introduced himself as Judge Clifton; the
familiar for he had often seen it in the public
press of the day. He was invited into the paror and
introduced to Mrs. MasOn-there was such striking
resemblance between the stranger and Mrs Mason that
Charley Mason detected it in moment.
Strange thoughts through the heads Of that par
ty Can it be relation Of Mattie's, thought Charley?
Can it be my dear daughter thought the stranger?
and this stranger be my father was the thought of
Mrs. Mason?
Circumstances, Madam" said the stranger addres-
sing Mrs Mason, lead me to believe that you
relative of mine; will you allow to look at that ring
upon your finger for a moment"
The ring handed him. and no sooner had he looked
upon the inside Of it be exclaimed, my daughter and
tainted away.
Upon the inside the following words were engraved
Presented to the Hon. Henry Clifton by his friend
Samuel Johnson July 1884," on another part of the
ring the word Matte" was placed by the Judges
own hand. He recognized it in an instant.
We leave the reader to imagine the meeting between
Judge Clifton and his daughter our pen would fail us,
were we to attempt to describe it.
Matte Clifton's history may be written in a few
words Her father Judge of the court in that
portion Of the country where Charley Mason and her.
self first met and which, as we said in the beginning of
our story was at that time infested by bands of the most
daring outlaws the world ever In an attack made
upon him night by of these bands little Matte
seized and carried off as trophy. Judge Clifton,
however, made his escape Not wishing to destroy the
innocent child for their object was punder not murder,
they placed it in the open road the next day. hoping that
some person might it from death 1t was in this
situation when found by the good people, with whom it
lived until eight years of age the ring was also found
by them at the same time The leader OF the gang OF
robbers after they had dsbanded told the good people OF
its capture and the escape of its father This however,
was never mentioned to Matte Clifton until the day
that she met her beloved parent after absence of
nearly twenty years.
Charley Mason and his happy wife still reside at the
beautiful mansion where their parents lived before them,
surrounded by happy family of children and all the
blessings of unbounded wealth He has filled the high
est Office within the gift Of the people of his native State,
besides positions of emnence in the councils OF the ma
ton His wifes name in every household as the au-
thor of the best works written in the English Ian
guage. Their both recorded on the pages OF
historic fame and while we regret that Old MIR. and
Mrs Mason did not live to witness the happiness that
they now enioy we have abundant to rejoice over
the fate of the beautiful the happy Matte Clifton the
Adopted Daughter" "LoUIs."
BURKE Co., GAr Aug. 30th, 1868