The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1869-01-22
A FIRST. CLASS RoMANCE IN OHIO.
All about a Mysterious Farmer and his
Mysterious Farm Handi

All about Mysterious Farmer and his
Mysterious Farm HandI
From the Xena Gazette
. Not many miles from Xcnia resides q
wealthy land-holdcr, or rather a model
farmer. Ills prosperity during the last
twelve years has often been tile comment
of his neiglibors, and observing ones
have wondered from whence he has OBJ
tanned tho l,icans with which he had adj
dcd farm to farm and acre to acre until
he holds upward OF two thousand acres Of
the best land in the State of Ohio.
Some ton years since, se have lately
been informed, there appeared at the
farmers door young and stalwart youth
who asked, and readily obtained, en-
ploymont. Although ignorant at first of
the duties on farm, he applied himself,
and in short time became an adept
farmer. lie took as much interest III
tho affairs of the farmer who engaged
him as did the farmer himself.
When the month Of December came.
the first ono after his advent on the farm
he informed the family that he would
absent himself during the winter, but
would return in early spring and work
another year. lie brought two trunks
when he came there tho preceding
spring, the contents of which had mover
been displayed. These he left with tho
farmer with the simple precautionary
remark to ''nevcr allow them to be dis
turbcd, or, at least, unless should be
absent two years" If gone longer, they
were at liberty to open aud appropriate
thoir contents. He carried nothing
away with him except tho suit he had
on, nor did he accept the summers
wages when rendered by tho farmer
IIo took his note payable in Gv0 years,
and left.
April of the following year camc, and
the wonder of the family over the youths
strange proceedings was still fresh,
when one plcal LIANT morning they were all
gladly surprised to see their help again.
lie brought large trunk, similar to enc
of the two he had left there during the
winter. Tho ensuing year the young
man and the farmer became greatly at
tached. In August the farmer parehas-
cd an adjoining farm, and paid for it in
cash.
When the years work was completed,
again were the incidents Of the preced-
ing year repeated. Tho young man
took another note, left his trunk, and
went away He only cautioned the
farmers family, as before, regarding his
three trunks.
When April came around again our
hero returned. In May following, the
farmer purchased another adjoining farm
of one hundred acres and paid for it in
cash. This geing away and returning
continued for the last ten years up -
tho present December. Each year tile I
farmer purchased more land. Every
year, in December, tho farmers help
left him, taking the farmer'si note, and
every following April he returned. He
never took trunk nor baggage away, but
always brought more when he returned.
Last week the help, now grown to
manhood, strong and sturdy in mind and
frame, left the farmer, took away all his
accumulated baggage, and returned the
several notes the farmer had given him
made present Of them to n child Of
the farmer. The evening before his de-
parture he informed his friends, who
had learned to love him, of tho secret
which he had SO long kept to himself
re was wealthy orphan, Doctors had
told him, at the age Of fifteen, that he
could not live to become of age. lie at
once left an eastern boarding-school and
came out here to the farmers home.
Tie returned and studied during the win
ter, became int rested in seeing tho
farmer increase his domains, and donated
the money with which the additions
were made. Tho trunks contained tho
fashionable clothing,hc wore during tho
winter months. Secrecy regarding the
money received by him had been en-
joined upon the farmer during all the
ten years now he is released to do or
tell all, or little, as he pleases.
The promised censump,ive was saved,
the aggrayations Of disease dispeIcd,
and, having grown to be healthy ana
robust, was satisfied with the ten years
effort to prevent his becoming an inva-
lid for life. 1t was almost useless for
the farmer to attempt to express his
gratitude unbounded as it was, to eur
hero. lie thinks of him now as bene-
factor and a son, and looks on his broad
a crcs and can hardly realize that they
are his. Were we to give the name of
the young man many Of onf readers
would at once be convinced of tho truth
Of thc above. This we arc forbidden to
do for the present.
"TnE arrangements Of nature are