Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1864-08-31
A Soldier In Luck-A Romantic
stOry-A Private falls Heir
to q Fortune.

The Detroit Free Pres tells the follow
ing story;
"At the first battle of Bull Run there
was a soldier by the name Of Wilson, who
like many Others on that memorable oc-
cssion, struggled away from his command
After walking or rather running Tor ss'-
eral hours he becameyery much fatigued'
and after taking good precaution that
there were no rebels either within sight
or sound, he lay down to sleep by the
side of a fence and slept sweetly and
soundly during the night. Late in the
morning when the sun was near mid
noon, he woke to find himself in q
strange land, and perhaps among the
bittersst enemies of the country But
the demand of hunger soon Eilenced the
voice of prudence and caution. Seeing
mansion on hill in the distance, sur
rounded by parks and meadows, orchard
and evergreens, artificial fountains and
natural streams of clear running water,
in fact, everything to show that it was
one of the first class old Virginia planta-
tions, the house of courtly elegence, our
soldier, tired, with weary step and q
fainting, famishing heart, knocked at
the door of the mansion. He was cor
daily received, fer the old Virginia
planter was faithful among the faithful
few. He remained lcng enough to re-
cruit his wasted energies and get inform
alton as to the most direct route to Wash
iDgton. But the name of the young SOL
dier was not forgotten by. the plan ter
nor his. manly bearing and his genial
temperament. The soldier re-enlis ted
in another regiment, and at the second
battle of Bull Run was severely though
not dangerously wounded. He was ia
ken to the hospital at Richmond. His
old Virginia friend learned of his i'll
ness. He sent to the hospital and OBJ
tanned an order for permission to take
him to his own home. he was removed,
when thro' the kindness of the planter
and the attentions Of his daughter, the
young man gradually recovered. A ten
der regard sprung up between the young
lady and the young soldier, and to cut
very short the turn in the story in such ca
ses made and provided usually takes,
they were betrothed. The soldier re.
turned to his northern home on furlough
While here he learned of the sudden
and severe indisposition of her who was
soon to become his bride. he hastsned
to her side and buried her corpse. The
old man before many weeks had elapsed
told the young man that he intended to
make him his heir, that he had no child
rem left, and no relatives, except those
who were in rebellion, and that he should
now share with him his estates. He at
once gave him a deed to . considerable
property in Chicago. The young man a
few weeks since visited that modern mir
acle and Babylon combined, and found
that his little Chicago fortune would 70
alize the handsome sum of S200, 900, be-
ing offered $50, 900 for a single block to
which be had fallen heir. But this is
not all in the strange and eventful story.
The old man has but recently died,
leaving all his fortune to this young
Union soldier, which is now known to be
over sSOO,OOO.
This 'ower true tale we know will
sound like fiction; but had not the facts
come to us well substantiated, we shonld
not have given them. m.publicity."