The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1870-04-01


1t would seem, from the frequent
occurrence of remarkable incidence,
that there is certainly nothing of an
improbable nature, Judging from the
following wonderfully strange and
hardly creditable story which came to
our ears few days since.
In the spring of 1S49, when the
gold fever was at IFS highest possible
state of excitement in California,
there lived i'm the state of Virginia on
the banks of the York river, lew
miles from Yorktown, gentleman OF
culture, whose parents were In mode
rate circumstances. 1t was during
the gold excitement he left his COM
Portable home, his friends, relatives,
a loving wife, whom he lead TO the
altar but year since, and an only
child-a daughter of two months
and took up his lonley journey to
seek his fortune in the wild, distant
West over and beyond the Rocky
Mountains, where the bright and gol-
den sun sinks down to rest amid the
blue waves of the grand Pacific
After years of toll, drudgery and
reverse of fortune in the mines, he
came to this city and engaged in bust
ness. He being successful, soon
amassed an immense fortune. His
wife had died during prevailing ep-
idemic while on visit 10 some rela-
tives during the yellow fever season
at New Orleans, as at the same time
did little girl of another family OF
the same name and age OF his little
daughter. He visited the States, but
could find no clue to his deceased
wife's sister; he thought, naturally,
she, too, had died. He returned TO
the Golden State, and time and the
whirling excitement of business soon
healed his sorrows. and efiaced, APP
parently, all recollections of his old
home on the banks of the placid \ ork.
Shortly after the completion of the
Pacific railroad there arrived at this
city a gentleman, his wife, and beau
tiful, well educated and graceful
young lady, just blooming into maid
enhood, apparently and really about
Is summers. 1t was by chance the
young lady and aged widower met
and to meet was to love-. They were
duly married after short acquaintan-
ce the ceremony being celebrated
with great eclat, and creating no little
fiutter in the fashionable and wealthy
circle of our city. The fac. that both
parties bore the same christian name
excited no comment or inquiry, as 1t
was one almost quite as common as
that of Smith or Brown.
A few weeks after the marriage, as
the husband and wife naturally inqul-
red into each others past history and
antecedents. and were becoming bet
ter acquainted with each other, the de-
noument came-they were father and
daughter-man and wife the instinct
i've love of the parent for the child,
and the daughter for the father, had
been superseded by the strong emo.
tional passion OF sexual love. Both
innocent at heart, both fully criminal
in the eyes of God and man.
His daughter was not dead, as he
supposed but. after The death of his
wife, was kindly taken in charge by
his sister-in-law, WHO had married
and moved to q distant State, and
who also with her husband, accompa-
MED his wife's daughter to this coast,
to meet as strangers. lovers, and sub
sequently parent and child, as they
were cultivated, passionate love
changed into filial ana parental affec-
ton.
Wonderfully strange, indeed, ar e
the fortuitous circumstances which
control and guide the footsteps OF
erring and susceptible mortals.