Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1860-08-23
&uuh Misrellany.
Cases Of Doubtful Identity.
Two Extraordinary Pictures.

Two Extraordinary Pictures.
, About six years ago, Mr., Rober
McAuley, resident Of Lusasville
t Scioto County, Ohio, sailed 10
California, leaving promising family
to wait bis return. While absent
: he wrote many letters home, ant
, only short time ago, they received I
letter from him,in which he stated tha,
he was very unwell, and feared that
the climate did not agree with him
Some time during the week before
last, a gentleman came into Ports.
mouth, Ohio, representing himself
as MIR. Robert McAuley, and said
he was out Of money, and not able to
walk home. A citizen volunteered
to take the unfortunate traveller to
bis family, and conveying him to
Lucasville, placed him in the house
Of a relative, where his wife (as he
claimed) lived. The wife was then
called, she came, but declared at once
and vehemen,ly, that he ,cas not
her husband, and refused to recognise
him as such! She raid he was some
Iimposter, that be did not resemble
her husba nd in The remotest degree,
and called upen the rest Of the family
to decide between them. The gentle
man sndeayored to prove his identity
by relating circumstances, and telling
facts that none but McAuley ought
to know; yet they still refused to re.
cognise him, and he was sent back
to Portsmouth, sick and penniless.
This is certainly mysterious affair,
aud what seems to make it much
harder for the poor man, IS the
apparent fairness Of bis whole story.
He knows all his old neighbors, all
about their histories, can name their
ancestors and his own son, yet bis
family don't know him. Some Of
bis ueigbbors have been persuaded
tina. he is indeed Robert McAuley;
but the majority are really to swear
that he is not him nor anything like
him.
Many persona might be disposed
to blame the wife, after reading the
above, yet We think she acts as any
prudent women would, under SINH
lar circumstances, for the stranger
may be an imposter, as We will prove
by giving another example Of doubtful
identity from memory.
During the Napoleonic war in
Prussia, a young German named
Beppo, joined the army Of :he allies,
leaving a beautiful young wife, two
brothers. and a sister. at home, in
enc Of the Rhine villages. At first
he wrote very frequently; but as
the war progressed, his letters mis-
carried and the family heard
nothing Of him for a long time
One evening in summer, as the wife
of Beppo was walking with her
infant son in the garden attached
to her house, thinking of her bus.
band who maghs be in bis shroud.
the sound of approaching footsteps
fell upon her ears, and almost i'm
mediately the little boy bounded
toward The gate, exclaimiDg in JOY
GUS accents;
ooh papa! Papa has come!'
The poor woman looked up, and
uttered cry Of delight as her eyes
met those of her long-absent hus-
band, who stood at the gate, all en-
Drowned with exposure aud care.
worn, yet erect as ever, and wearing
the rich uniform Of an officer. The
surprise was too great for the wife
and mother who fell fainting on his
bosom, and carried by BIN into the
house, while bis little boy ran to
arouse his uncles and aunt. The
last named relatives came speedily
forth, when they, too, we're nearly
ovsrpowered with astonishnent, and
fell upon the neck Of their long lost
brother. That night was q happy
one 10 the cottage, the neighbors
we're called in, and all recognised
Beppe-lights were lit. bells we're
rung, and 9 great feast was prepar-
id: "and all went merry az a mar
riage bell"
After the banquet, all the com.
pany went cut into the open air, and
the retur ned soldier was called upon
| to relate his adventures. With az
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