The Portland daily press., 1869-08-24
History of N waic.


ANINCIDENT OF THE FREsurr or 1sA7-r
INFANT FLOATING ALL NIGHT ON TIE
FLooD-wHAT BECAME OF HER.
[From the Cincinnati Times, Aug 12l
During the great flood of 1871, when the
Ohio river so far overleaped the bounds of
proprety as to come up to Pearl street with
out any invitation, great many dwellings To-
Gated on the river banks were swept away
and came floating down upon the pitiless
tide. Loss of life not unirequently attended
these disasters, as when family, unconscious
OF their danger, were asleep in their beds
when the waters rose about their house, and
ilited It from its foundations and bore it away
amid the darkness and turbulent flood.
on the leit bank OF the Ohio at that time
between Marietta and Pomeroy, stood an
humble dwelling occupied by a small farmer
and his wife, together with five children. the
youngest an infant girl a little over a wear
old. The river rose during the night VIII le
the family were in bed. The rocking OF the
house as the surging waters claimed it awoke
the inmates, and through great and hasty ex-
ertion the farmer was enabled to get all his
family, as he supposed to place of safety,
though he lost every thing else. Standing on
a little eminence near by, he saw his house
with all its contents yield itself to the grasp
ing, avaricious food and float down the river,
Wuere IL WAS SOOu lOSL III udTkneSS. sup
posed that all was saved, but alas, it was
soon discovered that their infant girl was
missing.
In the confusion and excitement of the
moment her baby was left asleep on its bed,
and had been swept away ID destruction with
the house. Great was the grief OF the pa
rents at the loss of their youngest born, and
although due efforts had been made to learn
whether or not she had been rescued, moth
inn Wa heard nf her and IL N
ally supposed that she was drowned in the
river.
Such, however, was not her fate. A hun
dred miles below where his dwelling was
swept away, some people on the river bank
the next morning saw something peculiar
floating down the current. They thought it
was the form of an infant. A boat was pro-
cured, and the object was indeed found TO be
an infant girl, sleeping calmly and profound
ly upon bed.
She was takeNin charge by family in the
vicinity, who took such means as they knew
to ascertaiIrto whom the child belonged, but
there was nd clue to guide them, and soon
| the little waif that foated down to them
came TO be considered as their own child.
They adopted her the more readily perhaps
on account of being themselves childless.
Meanwhile the waif grew into beautiful
girl, and became az dear to her adopted pa
mourned for "mama" a little while, but ere
| long, all recollection of her eaaly surround
| ings were but dim and shadowy, and her new
i parents and her new home became all in all
| to her. A few years and the family moved
into Illinois, settling on farm near Chicago.
The man prospered there, and was enabled to
| give his beautiful Ohio river founding an ed
| ucation fitting her graceS OF person, her
/ amability and her virtues. short time ago
| her hand was sought in marriage by worthy
| young farmer in the vicinity Of where she
| lived, consent obtained, and the happy day
/ appointed. One day the family were in Chi
cago purchasing her wedding outfit. AT a
| dry goods store a clerk who was waiting on
them observed our heroine intently, and
seemed singularly affected so much so as to
/ attract attention.
| Excuse me-" he said, in some confusion,
/ addressing the young lady, don't be offend
ed at my staring at you, but the truth IL you
| are perfect picture of sister OF mine at
home, and 1 couldn't help thinking you
looked just as another sister of mine would
| have looked, who was swept down the Ohio
| in great freshet and lost"
The words attracted the attention Of the
| young lady's adopted parents. The resen-
| blance spoken OF, and the incident OF the
ireshet taken in CONJUNCTION, could hardly have
failed to do that. Explanations followed, and
it was pretty satisfactorily concluded that the
clerk and the young lady were brother and
sister, as indeed was afterward proved to be
the case.
Her parents, too, had emigrated to Illinois,
and lived not far from her own home. The
families were brought together, aud what was
before believed to be true was established
beyond question when the bed on which tie
child was found was produced and the gar
ments she wore; Tor what frugal housewife
wouldn't recognize one of her own beds, and
what mother would not remember the gar
ments worn by her favorite baby?
There is little more TO tell. Our heroine
was married to the husband of her choice last
week, and had the satisfaction of having her
own as well as her adopted parents at the
wedding.