Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1869-08-26
HISTORY OF A WAIF.

ElOOd-tt nat Bees anne OF Her.
: The gCincinnati Times tells, q very inter
esting and romantic story heard as above,
which is worth repeating if true. and if a
sfancy sketch, il is so wen gotten up that
it can easily be credited, on the ground
that truth is stranger than fiction" At
all events we give thesubstance of the story
as it appears in the Times, and which when
condensed reads ''thusly:"
During the great food of 1S4z when the
0bioriver 50 far oyereaped the bounds'of
propriety as to come up to Pesrl 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
az these disasters, IS when a family un-
conscious of their danger were asleep IN
their beds when the alter rose about their
house and lifting it rom 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 hve
children, the Youngest an infant girl little
over year old. The,nyerrose during the
night while the family were in bed The
vi tll0 nOttrN 90 thc
claimed il awoke the inmates, and through
great and h.lsty exertion the farmer was en-
abled TO get all his family, as he supposed,
TO place of safety, though be lost every
thing else. Standing on little eminence
near by, he saw, through the gloom of that
dreadful night, his house with ali it's con-
tents. WELD itself to the grasping and
avaricious flood, and float down the nv 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 ieffofts- were made t.
learn whether or not she had been rescued
nothing was heard Of her, and il Was very
naturally supposed she was drowned in the
river. eDf'OFJ VII YsEf J tETftt
Such, however, was not her fate. A hun
dred miles below where this dwelling was
swept away, some person on the river bank
the next morning saw something pecuiial
floating down ON the current. They
Thought il was the form OF an infant A
boat was procured, and the. object was In
deed found to be on infant girl, sleeping
calmly and PROFOUNDLY upon a bed. -
She was taken in charge by q family in
he vicinity, who took such means'a as they
knew to ascertain to whom the child be-
longed, but there was no clue to guide
them, and soon the little wait that had
ioated down to them came to beconsider-
ed as their own child. Meanwhile the
vaif grew into beautiful girl, and became
as dear to her adopted parents as though
she was their own. She had mourned for
mamma" a little time. but ere long all
recollections ether early surroundings
were but dim and shadowy, and her new
parents and her new home became all-in-all
to her 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
foundling an education fitting her eraces
of person, her anniability and her virtues.
A short time ago her hand was sought in
marriage by worthy Young farmer in the
vicinity of where she lived, consent OBJ
tanned, ard the happy day appointed.
One day the family We're in Chicago, pur-
chasing her wedding outfit. AT dry goods
store a clerk who was waiting on them
observed our heorine intently. and seemed
singularly affected-so much so as to at
tract attention.
Excuse me-" he said in some confusion,
addressing the young lady, don't be offen-
ded at my staring at you, but the truth is
you are perfect picture OF sister of mine
at home, and / eouldn't help thinking You
looked inst as another sister of mine would
have looked, who was swept down the Ohio
in great freshet 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 10 do that. Explanations fol-
lowed, and il was pretty satisfactorily con-
cluded that the clerk and the young lady
were brother and sister, as indeed, was af-
teryard proved to be the case.
Her parents, too, had emigrated to Hi
nois, and lived not far from her own home
The families were brought together, and
what was before believed 10 be true was
established beyond question. when the bed
o. 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 hav-
ing her own as well as her adopted parents
at the Wedding. We don't consider il ne.
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. ......-n ...s.-- -