Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1869-10-06
Lost and Found--Floating Down the
River the Ohio.

During the great flood Of 1917, when
the Ohio river SO far overlcapcd the
bounds OF property as 10 come up TO
Pearl street without any invitation. a
great many dwellings located on the
river banks werc swept away and
came floating down upon the pitilcss
tide. Loss OF lie rot unirequontly
attended these disasters, as whom a
family. unconscious OF their danger,
were asleep in their beds when the
waters rose about their house and
lifting il from its foundation bore IL
away amid the darkness and the tur-
bulent food
On the left bank OF the Ohio at that
itime, between Marietta aud fomerOy,
stood an humble dwelling occupied by
small farmer and his wife, together
with five children, tho youngest an
infant girl little over year old.
The river rose during the right while
the family were in bed. The rocking
Of the house as the surging waters
climbed il, awOke the inmates, and
through great and hasty exertion the
farmer vas enabled 10 get all his
family, AS he supposed, 10 place OF
safety, though he lost everything else
Standing on little eminenoe near by
be saw, through the gloom OF that
dreadful night, his house with all its
contents. yield itself TO the grasping.
avaricious food, and float down the
river, where it was soon lost in dark
ness. Hesupposed thatall were saved,
but alas, 1t was soon discovered that
their infant girl was missing.
In the confusion and excitement Of
the moment the baby was left asleep
in its bed, and had been swept away
TO destruction with the house Great
WAS the grief of the parents NJ the
loss Of their Youngest born. and al
though due efforts were made 10 learn
whether or not, she had been rescued.
and learning nothing il was very
naturally Supposed that she was
drowned in the river
Such, however. was not her fate. A
hundred miles below where his dwell
ing was swept away, some people on
the river bank the next morning saw
something peculiar floating down the
current. They thought il was the
form of an infant 4 boat was pro
cured and the object was indeed found
70 Oe an infant girl sleeping calmly
and profoundly upon bad
She was taken ia charge by q family /
IN The vicinity, who took such means .
as they knew 10 ascertain 20 whom .
the child belonged, but there was no .
clue TO guide them, and soon the little
waif thai had fuated down 10 them
came % be considered a. their own
child. They adopted her the m0ic .
readily, perhaps. ON account of being
themselves childless, and because of|
their sympathies being SO greatly
excited by The peculiar Circumstances +
Of the case-an infant floating AL. that .
night OF terrible storm, amid wrecks .
and bridges aud dwellings, protected .
from danger by al unseen power. that .
seemed 10 direct her % their love and .
care, Ii may seem strange 10 The
reader that The parents were not found .
for the child, or the whereabouts OF
the child made known 20 them, but il
must be remembered thai Newspapers /
were not 20 numerous OF accessible /
twenty years or 50 AGO as now, and
that people didn't advertise The lost
as they do now Besides, al the par.
tics were IN humble lie, and their
circle OF acquaintance, a. well rs their
means, were very limited.
Meanwhile the waif grew into .
beautiful girl, and became as dear 10 F.
her adopted parents as though she
was their own. She bad mourncd for
''mama" a little time. but ere long. al I
recollection Of her early Surroundings
were but dim and shadowy. and her
new parents and her new home be
came al mall 10 hcr. A few wears
and the family moved into Illinois.
settling on farm near Chicago. The
man prospored there and was enabled
20 give bis beautiful Ohio river f1un-
ding an education fitting her rmces
Of person, her amiabiity and her vir-
tues. A short time ago her hand was
sought IN marriage hy a worthy
young farmer On the vicinity whore
she lived. consent obtained. and the
happy day appointed one day the
family were in Chicago purchasing her
wedding outfit At a dry goods store 4
q clerk who was waiting on them
observed our heroine inicntly. and
seemed siuguiariy affccicd-s0 much
80 a. 10 attract siicuiion.
"Excusc me, be said. In some con-
fusion, addressing the Young lady.
don't be offended al my staring al '-ou.
hut the truth is you are a perfect PIC
iure oi a sister of mine ui home. and
i couldn't help thinking yo1 looked
Just as another sister ui mine would
have looked, who was swept down
the Ohio in a great fuoshUi and lost
Her parents. TOO. had emigratei 20
Illinois The families were brought
together and what was bcforc believed
70 lee true was established beyond
question. when the bed on which the
child was inund was proinCoi. and the
garments She wore; for what frugal
housewife wouldn't Recognize one OF
her own beds, and what mother would
not remember the garments worn hv
her favoriie baby
The words attracted the attention
of the young lady adopted parents
The resemblance spoken oi. and the
incident 0i The freshci taken % con
junction, could hardly have failed %
DO that; explanations followed. and 10
was pretty satisfactory conulndcd thai
the clerk aud the young lady were
brother and sisior, as indeed was
afterward proved 10 be the ta~e.
There Is htfie moro to icu Oar
heroine was married Oh The husband
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