Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-11-07
Il. WHITMORE,
Publisher and Proprietor.
ROMANCE OF A PRETTY wAIF.

kidnapped, Abandoned, Adopted,
Abducted, Recovered, Guarded,
and-Read the story for the Rest.
From the New York World
While sojourning temporarily with
some old friends in the post village Of
Fairfax, Franklin county, Vermont, in
the year 1858, benevolent elderly gen.
tleman and his wife, from part of the
State still further northward, paid
visit to the county poor house which is
situated in that township, and were par
ticularly attracted by the good looks
and precocious intelligence of 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 very different
hereditary 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
Freuoh Canadian people were not her
relatives.
These were peeuliarities of history and
character calculated TO interest any in
telligent observer in the friehdless
Young creature, even though her persis-
tent assertion in the last respect should
be attributed to mere childish fancy, and
the present visitors found themselves
moved thereby to compassionate ad-
miration of more than passing senti-
ment. All their children, with the ex-
ception of a son in his tenth year, were
fui grown and married. the homestead
was lonely therefrom; and why should
they not secaga another daughter TO
their old age by adopting this mis-
placed little one.
Such was the question suggested sim
ultaneously to the humane hearts Of
both Of the good cid people by the story
and bright manners Of the peqper girl,
and, after brief consultation, the auth or
itiee of the institution were promptly
petitioned for the desired privilege. The
cir. herself seeming delighted at the idea,
and her French Canadiep depositors
appearantly Indifferent as to Her fate,
she was readily transferred to her new
guardians, and gladly taken by them to
their home further pp the Lamoile
river.
From the adoption thus induced and
begun, both parties thereto derived un-
happiness for several ensu-
ing years. Removed from the shabby
of public charity TO the
plentitude and cherishment of a foster
parentage, including every element OF
natural parental affection, the Echild's
Gne nature and quick intelligence devel-
ope1 into exemplary traits of filial grace
and duty, sad her protectors had in her
the same Tpride ana !oye as though she
had always been their own.
But in 1864, when the adopted daugh- |
ter was tiiTtaen years old, circumstances
compelled an unpleasant turning back
10 a leaf Of her earlier histsry. A man
from Canada, claiming that he wGs her J
father, had made demand for her at the |
Fairfaz Door house, and upon being nee
essarily inforned whittier she had been
taken, wrote to her Aeyoted friends that
she must be surrendered to hiH. Then, !
again, even as from the first, the girl |
denied that they were her |
relatives vko had suffered her to become |
a charge upon the Franklin county au
thorities, though she could reeollect
aething of her history previous thereto.
It vas an instinct with her, and she
could account for it in no other way
han as an imperative conviction of her
2most nature.
This, Of course, was not preef, and the
,aternal claimant declared his ability TO
,rove himself her father; yet the adopt
ng parents resolved to retain their prize
It all hazards, and paid no heed to the
canadians demands and threats. But
he former vagrants from over the bor-
Ter, whether the true kindred of the
,irl or not. had some urgent reason, ap-
,arently, for wishing 10 regain posses.
ion Of her, and we're not to be thus
,affied.
One day a low.browed. foreign-looking
nan, accompanied by three associates
4 equally forbidding aspect, suddenly
invaded the quiet home Of the old peo.
,le and their adopted daughter, and
orcibly carried oa the latter by car
iage and railroad before the neighbor-
lood could be rallied TO the rescue. as
oon as be could get ready for the jour
ley, the venerable head OF the desolated
iorsehold, in company with his young
on, started IA pursuit Of the kidnap-
,ers, whom happily they we're able to
race 10 Burlington. Ohcials and pas
engers on the cars had noticed and
tilted the tears and resistance Of cap
i've girl under the harsh authority Of
nen who Represented themselves as the /
aiher and uncles q 3 vayward run
way, and upon arriving in the city jest
laaai the pursuers we're soon able %
.isooFer that she vas there a prisoner. i
While the horror-Etricken old gentle
lan pondered means of eleciing her
.eliveraare without public tunuit be
Fas unexpeciedly befrended by a kind