Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1869-08-25
HISTORY OF A WAIF.
An Incident of the Freshet of 1917
An Infant Floating all Night in the
FIood-What Became of Her.

The Cincinnati Times tells a very inter-
esting and romantic story heard as above,
which is worth repeating if true, and if a
Clancy sketch, - it is SO well gotten up that
it can easily be credited, on the ground
that 'struth is stranger than fiction" At
all events we give the substance of the story
as it appears in the Times, and which when
condensed reads s'thusly:'
During the great food of 1847, when the
Ohio river so far overleaped the bounds of
propriety as to come up to Pearl street
without any invitation, great many dwell
lings located on the river banks were swept
away and came floating down the pitiless
tide, Loss of life not unfrequently attend
ad these disasters, as when a family I'M
conscious of their danger were asleep i'll
their beds when the water rose about their
house and lifting it from itr foundations
bore it away amid the darkness and the
turbulent flood.
On the west bank of the Ohio at that
time between Marietta and Pomeroy stood
an humble dwelling occupied by small
farmer and his wife, together with five
children, the youngest an infant girl little
over a year old. The river rose during the
night while the family were in bed. The
rocking of the house as the surging waters
IL
great and hasty exertion the farmer was en-
abled to get all his family, as he supposed,
to place of safety, though he lost every,
thing else. Standing on little eninence
near by, he saw, through the gloom of that
dreadful night, his house with all its con
tents, yield itself to the grasping and
avaricious flood and float down the li1 er,
where it was soon lost in darkness. He
supposed all were saved, but, alas it was
! soon discovered that their infant girl was
missing.
| In the confusion and excitement of the
moment the baby was left asleep on its bed
and had been swept away to destruction
with the house. Great was the grief of the
parents at the loss of their youngest born,
and although due efforts were made tC
learn whether or not she had been rescued
nothing was heard of her, and it was very
naturally supposed she was drowned in the
river.
Such, however, was not her fate. A hun.
bred miles below where this dwelling was
swept away, some person on the river bank
the next morning saw something peculiar
floating down on the current. They
thought it was the form OF an infant A
boat was procured, and the object was in
deed found to be an infant girl, sleeping
Cdluuly duu pIOlOuuuiy upon Il D6Q.
She was taken in charge by a family in
the vicinity, who took such means as they
knew to ascertain to whom the child be-
longed, but there was no clue to guide
them, and soon the little waif that had
foated down to them came to be consider
ed as their own child Meanwhile the
waif grew into beautiful girl, and became
as dear TO her adopted parents as though
she was their own. She had mourned for
mamma" little time, but ere long all
recollections of her early surroundings
were but dim and shadowy, and her new
parents and her new home became all-in-all
to her. 4 few years after 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 education fitting her eraces
of person, her amiability and her virtues.
short time ago her hand was sought in
marriage by q worthy young farmer in The
vicinity of where she lived, consent OBJ
tanned, and the happy day appointed.
One day the family were in Chicago, pur-
chasing her wedding outfit. At dry goods
store a clerk who was waiting on them
observed our heorine intently, and seemed
singularlv affected-so much SO as to at
tract attention.
excuse me, he said in some confusion,
addressing the young lady, ''dont be often
ded at my staring at you, but the truth is
you are a perfect picture of sister of mine
at home, and couldn't help thinking you
looked Just as another sister of mine would
have looked, who was swept down the Ohio
in great treshet and was lost.
The words attracted the attention of the
young lady's adopted parents. Theresem-
blance spoken of, and the incident of the
freshet taken in conjunction, could hardly
have failed to do that. Explanations fol
lowed, and it was pretty satisfactorily con-
Guided that the clerk and the young lady
were brother and sister, as indeed, was af-
terward proved to be the case.
Her parents, too, had emigrated to Iii
nois, and lived not far from her own home.
The families were brought together, and
what was before believed to be true was
established beyond question, when the bed
on which the child was found was produc-
ed, and the garments she wore; for what
frugal housewife wouldn't recognise one OF
her own beds, and what mother would not
remember the garments worn by her favor
tie babe?
There is little more to tell. Our heroine
was married to the husband of her choice
last week, and had the satisfaction Of hay
ing her own as we'll as her adopted parents
at the wedding. We don't consider it me-
cessary to give the names of the parties,
but the story is true one, and we had the
facts from one who is thoroughly convers-
ant with them.