Mower County transcript., 1869-12-09
ARonantic Story.

A correspondent of the Boston Journal,
writing from Concord, N. H., tells the fol-
lowing romantic story: - sest,.:j} :,5afes
One of the happiest Thanksgiving din
ners in New Hampshire, on the 18th, was;
in one of our rural villages not 80 miles
from Concord. It was the first reunion for
many years Of several generations of q GER
tain family. At the head of the table sat
the venerable grandfather, now 81 years of
age. He had come alone, thousands of
miles, from the West, to meet his descend
ants. After the dinner he told the story of
his life. Some of its main features We have
gathered for this letter. -. ,'"lj#f.
The hero of the story was born in the
state of New York, and passed his youth ON
q fertile farm in the valley of the Mohawk
river. In the course of time he was engag-
ed to be married. Before the nuptials were
celebrated he became interested in another
young lady, who also proved to be engaged,
but between them there sooD sprung up
strong intimacy, which on the part of bsth
was carefully concealed from the other
parties concerned. The most solemn
pledges, however. had been made by them
and they shrunk from the idea of breaking
their plighted VOWS. In vain they waited,
hoping that something might occur that
would cause the other parties to give them
release from matrimonial obligations. 44
At length they met, o. they supposed,
for, the last time, and parted. The man
married and emigrated to the West, and
the woman was united in hymenial DO nds
and settled on the shores Of Oneida Ia ke.
These events happened nearly fifty years
good husband and a kind father, and grew
into middle age widely known and influ.
ential citizen. Prosperity attended him,
and wealth and many friends came to him.
After twenty years Of married life his wife
was taken away from him, but children re-
mained. By and by several of his children
married, and one of them came to New
Hampshire. Years passed on, but he had
never again visited the East.
After repeated invitations from his rela-
tives he concluded few months ago to
spend with them. in New Hampshire, the
then approaching festival Of Thanksgiving.
He reached Albany at the time of the height
of the great food, and travel being much
interrupted he stayed over few days, and
accidentally met some old acquaintances of
his youth. During one conversation there
was casually mentioned the name of her
from whom he had many years ago so sor-
rowfully parted. Eagerly he asked if she
was yet alive, aud when answered in the
affirmative tears came to his eyes, and he
told his friends that he must at once set out
in search for her. He was told where she J
was living only six months previous, and |
thither he went with all possible haste, but
she was not there. Only a month before |
she had gone away. -, ,.,.
He learned the direction it was supposed
she had taken, and again with all possible
speed he pushed forward. But fate seems
against him. for farther and farther away
seemed to him the object of his search.
At last, after he had. travelled hundreds of
miles, going by night as we'll as by day,
he found the love Of his youth. The story
of the woman was one of long toll and suf.
fering. After ten years of welded life her
husband had died of lingering disease,
leaving her with three children.
One after another Of these treasures
were claimed by death, until she was left
alone and iriendless. In such circumstan-
ces she was found by one who renewed the
pledge Of his youthful affection, and asked
that to her happiness he might devote the
of his lite. Such was the grand
lather's story at the happy Thanksgiving
dinner, and he closed by saying that one
week from that day he was to be married
10 her who had been 60 long lost but who
was at length restored to him.