The Rock Island daily Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1872-1873, 1873-10-25
The Adopted Daughter.

While soiourning temporarily with some
old friends in the post-village Of Fairfax
Franklin County, Vt, in the year 1858, II
benevolent elderly gentleman and his wife,
from n part Of the State still further
northward, paid a visit to the County Poor
house which is situated in that township,
and were particularly attracted by the
good looks and precocious intelligence of a
little pauper girl. The child, who was
about seven years old and said to have
been placed in the forlorn institution when
she was scarcely more than an infant by
a family Of French .tramps from Canada,
had the dainty form, regular features, and
high expression of a very different heredi-
tary extraction from that with which she
was credited as aforesaid, and not only
lacked any foreign accent of speech, but
had always insisted that the French Cana
dian people were not her relatives. These
we're peculiarities of history and character
calculated To interest any intelligent OBJ
server in the triendless young creature,
even though her persistent assertions in
the last respect should be attributed t.
mere childish fancy and the present visi-
tors found themselves moved thereby u a
compassionate admiration of more than
passing sentiment All their children, with
the exception of son in his tenth year
were full grown and married the home
stead was lonely thereirnm and why
should they not secure another daughter
TO their old age by adopting this misplaced
little onef Such was the question sug-
gested simultaneously to the humane
hearts OF both Of the good old people by
the story and bright manners OF the pau.
per girl and, after brief consultation. the
authorities of the institution were prompt
ly petitioned for the desired privilege. The
Girl herself seeming delighted at the idea.
and her French Canadian depositors ap-
parently Indifferent as 10 her fate, she was
readily transferred to her new guardians.
and gladly taken by them to their home
further up the Lamoille River From the
adoption thus induced and begun both
parties thereto derived uninterrupted hap.
piness for several ensuing years. Removed
from the shabby surroundings of public
charity 20 the plentitude and cherishment
to foster parentage including every ele-
ment of natural parental affection, the
child fine nature and quick intelligence
developed into exemplary trains of flial
grace and duty, and her protectors had in
her the same pride and love as though she
had always been their own. But in 1864,
ghen the adopted daughter was thirteen
years old, circumstances compelled an un-
pleasant turning back % a leaf of her ear
lier history. A man from Canada, claim
ing that he was her father, had made dc.
maud for her at the Fairfax Poor house.
and being necessarily informed whittier
she had been taken, wrote to her devoted
friends that she must be surrendered to
L f-r.. 81
the girl theoretically denied that they we're
her relatives who had suffered her ~ be
come charge upon the Franklin County
authorities though she could recollect moth
iug OF her history prerious thereto. Ii was
an instinct with her, and she could account
for it in no other way than as an impera-
tive COMPLETION Of her inmost nature, This
OF course wis not proof, aud the paternal
claimant declared his ability % prove him
self her father yet the adopted parents re-
solved 10 retain their prize at ali hazards,
and paid no heed to the Canadians de
mands and threats. But the former va
grants from over the border, whether the
true kindred of the girl or not, had
some urgent reason, apparently. for
wishing to regain possession Of her,
and were not TO be thus baf-
fed One day a low -browed foreign-lo look
ing man, accompanied by three associates
Of equally torbidding aspect, suddenly in
yaded the quiet home of the old people
and their adopted daughter, and forcibly
carried of the latter by carriage and rail
road before the neighborhOOd could be raj
lied to the rescue As soon as he could
get ready for the journey the venerable
head Of the desolated household, in com
pany with his young son, started in pur'
suit Of the audaeiOus kidnappers, whom
happily they were able TO trace to Burling.
ton. Officials and passengers on the ears
had noticed and pitied the tears and re-
sistauce of a captive girl under the harsh
authority Of men who represented them
selves as the father and uncles of way
ward runaway, and upon arriving at the
city just named the pursuers were soon able
to discover that she was there prisoner
While the sorrow stricken old man pom
dered means OF affecting her deliverancC
without public tumult be was unexpected
ly befriended by kind lady of Burlington
who knew that the object Of his frenzec
search was under watch in miserable
tenant house, and believed that she could
help her to elude her kidnappers and gel
her out Of tho city, if allowed 10 attempt
the achievement alone Listening TO the
Counsel Of this good and shrewd woman
the father and son took the train for their
home, as though relinquishing their mis-
SION and within twenty-four hours there.
after the wise feminine Samaritan had
tho almost despsising girl safely out Of bel