Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1861-10-18
Truth Stranger than Fiction.

over twenty years since O TeH knoWR
and prominent citizen OF Central New York
(Chauncey Coe, of Canandigua,) died,
leaving widow, and a son and daughter,
with moderate competence. The widow
retired to one of the small beautiful VIII
lagos of that region, and devoted herself
to the education of her children.
In due time the daughter grew up and
married very worthy gentleman of the
place, TIE son, having passion for the
sea, INDUCED himself with whaling voyage
in his youth, and returned with vigorous
health and a hardy constitution. Upon
becoming Of age he invested hispatrimony
in a manufacturing business, and contin-
ued SO employed for several years. But
in 1S49, when the California fever broke
out with such virulenee, he was induced to
leave his business with his partner AID re-
latiVes and join party of friends in seek
ing his fortune in that region.
Soon after arriving at San Francisco, ho
received information that bis factory had
been destroyed by fire, and that be was
left penniless. By this time be had dis
covered that gold did not lie about the
streets, and that he was unfit for the strug-
gle of procuring it by the hard labor of
digging it from the bowels of the earth->-
He became despondent, and after some re-
fection decided to once more trust his for
tunes on the sea, determined never to re-
turn to his friends until he had regained
what he had lost. Taking an opportu-
nifty when bis friends were temporarily ab-
sent, and informing no one of his intentions,
he suddenly disappeared with his effects,
and no exertinns of his comrades could as
certain his destination, or mode of exit.
From that time, for twelve long years,
ne tidings of the lest one had reached his
friends. His well formed habits of indus
try and sobriety forbade the idea that any
disreputable motive bad induced him to
conceal his whereabouts, and his friends
could only conjecture and fear that some
accident had befallen him, and that be
must be dead. Meantime, some few years
after his disappearance, childless uncle.
(Bela D. Coe, of Buffalo died, and by
will left to him and his sister an ample
property for life, with reversion to their
children, but with a provision that in case
of their death without ISSUE the reversioa
should go to the educational and oharita-
bic Institutions Under the will, the sis
ter has enjoyed her share Of the rents and
profits, and the share of the lost one.
meantime being under the direction Of the
court, deposited in savings bank, until
after some years had elapsed, the two re-
versionary institutions instituted proceed
ings to secure his share of the property.
The court, upon full hearing, decided
that at this lapse Of time, without his be-
ing discovered, be must be judicially dead,
and that one Of the claimants should en-
ter upon the enjoyment of its portion Of
the rents and profits. As to the other its
character not permitting it to take real es-
tate, it was thrown out altogether, and
that share not being legally conveyed by
the will, reverted to the heirs at law un-
conditionally, who are these same children.
During all this time the sister husband.
with a zeal and pertinacity worthy of all
commendation, has been unremitting in bis
endeavors to find tie lost one. After all
others had been compelled to believe him
long dead, he has continued to spend time
and money to discover him. He has COM
municated with every American Consul of
the islands of the Pacific, and Australia
He has sent circulars, offering large re-
ward, to California and Oregon. He has
advel tised extensively in the papers of the
shipping and whaling ports. He has re-
ceived communications from sea captains
and others, protesting to give information,
but which has proved erroneous. At last,
every endeavor having proved futile, and
even q mothers hope discouraged, whose
locks have become white IN the long. Sleep
less agony of waiting for the return of an
only and beloved son. Within the last
month, suddenly, and without previous no.
tice, the truant drives up to the mothers
door. Alive and well, with face burned
and bronzed to parchment by exposure to
sun and wind, be has come back at last to
that mother and that sister, who have SO
long mourned him as dead and lost to
them forever.
And there was joy in that house.
And where upon the earth has tho tru-
ant been hidden trat mothers and sis
ter's love could not find him Why, in
about the only part of the world which has
not been searched for him. In South Af-
RIGA, far up from the cape, for many years,
and in China several times. He was en-
ploycd IN the Caffre war He has hunted
elephants and zebras. He has dealt in
and drove cattle and traded with the na-
tives He has met with losses by wreck
.rd 6ro H. Loe eumorod from, fevere epd