The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1861-09-25

1
/ Over twenty years since q well known and
prominent citizen Of central New YOrk-Cbaun
cey Coe, of Canandaigua-died, leaving widow
and sou and daughter, with q moderate COM
petence. The widow retired to one Of the small.
beautiful villages Of that region, and devoted
herself to the education of her children.
In due time the daughter grew up and married
q very worthy gentleman of the place. The son,
having passion for the sea, INDUCED himself
with . whaling voyage IN his youth, and return
ton.
Upon becoming of age he invested his patri
mony in q manufacturing business, and continued
80 employed for several years. But in lS49,
when the California fever broke out with suct
| violence, be was induced to leave his business
with his partner and relative, and join a party
of friends in seeking his fortune in that region.
| Soon after arriving in San Francisco. he receiv-
ed information that his factory had been destroy
| ed by fire, and that he was left penniess. By
this time he had discovered that gold did not lie
about the streets, and that be was untitled for
the struggle of procuring it by the hard labor of
digging il from the Sowels of the earth. He be
came dependent, and after some reflection de-
cided to once more trust his fortunes upon the
sea, determined never to return to his friends
an opportunity when his friends we're temporari
ly absent, and informing no one of his intentions,
be sdldenly disappeared with his effects, and NO
exertions of bis comrades could ascertain bis
destination, or mode OF exit.
From that time, for twelve long years, no
tidings of the lost one have reached his friends.
His well formed habits OF industry and sobre.
ty forbade the idea that any disreputable act had
induced him to conceal his Whereabouts, and his
friends could only conjecture and fear that come
accident had befalleE him and that he must be
dead.
Meantime, some few years after his disappear.
ance, childless uncle, Bella D. COe, Of Buffalo,
died, and by will left to him and bis sister an
ample property for life, With reversion to their
children, but with provision that in case Of
their death without issue, the reversion should
go to two educational aud charitable institutions.
Under the will the sister has enjoyed her share,
that Of the lost one, meantime, being, under di.
rection Of Court, deposited in a savings bank,
until after some years had elapsed the two rever-
sionary institutions instituted proceedings to Sc.
cure his share Of property. The cou I, upon a
full hearing decided that after this lapse of time,
without his icing discovered, he must be judi
cally dead, and that one of the claimants should
enter upon the enjoyment of its portion of the
rents and profits. As to the other, its charter
not permitting it to take real estate, it was
thrown out altogether, and that share not being
legally conveyed by the will, reverted to the
heirs at law Internationally, who are these same
children.
During all this time the sisters husband, with
zeal aud pertinacity worthy of all commends.
ton, has been unremittng in all his endeavors
to find the lost one. After all others had been
compelled to believe him long dead, he has con-
tinued to spend time and money in his discovery.
He has communicated with every American Con
| sui OF the Islands of the Pacific and Australia
He has sent circulars offering large reward to
California and Oregon. He has advertised with
4 large reward in the papers Of the shipping and
whaling ports. He has received many cOmmuni-
cations IRON sea captains and others, protesting
to give information, but which have proved er
roneOus. At last, every effort having proved
futile, and even a mothers hope discouraged,
whose lecks had become white in the long, sleep.
less agony of waiting for the return Of an only
and beloved son, within the last month, sudden
y, and without the least previous notice, the
truant drives up to the mothers door. Alive
and we'll, with face burned and bronzed to parch-
ment by exposure to sun and wind, he has come
back at last to that mother and that sister who
have 80 long mourned him IS dead and lost to
them forever.
And there was JOY In that house.
And where upon earth has the truant been
hidden, that mothers and sisters love could
not find him? Why in about the only part of
the world which had not been searched for him.
In South Africa, far up from the Cape, for
many years, and in China several times. He
was employed in the Catfre war. He has hunt
ed elephants and zebras. He has dealt in and
drove cattle and traded with the natives. He
has met with losses by wreck and FIRE. He has
suffered from fevers and accidents of q wander.
ing life, until at last in middle age, the yearning
to once more see his native land and embrace
his aged mother and his sister became too strong
to be resisted He sailed to Liverpool, and
thence to New York, and for the first time heard
tidings Of his family and Of his fortune, and that
of all bis letters written home, not one had been
received.
Truly, truth is stranger than fiction.