Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1873-07-25
54liscellatrY.
A Romance in Canada.

Just thirty years ago this summer q
little child, three years old, was playing
on the stoop of its fathers house in
Quebec. The house was in Richardson
street, and in what are known as st.
Roch Suburbs. For some reason the
child's nurse was out of the way for
time, and no one kept watch on its move
ments. When the family came to look
for it the little one--a great favorite
with all-it was gone. Inquiries were
instantly made in every direction, but
in vain. Night was coming on, but the
whole suburb was searched, and through
the long hours of darkness the distract
ed parents, aided by neighbors and police,
hunted through the city. Next day q
reward was offered, and the hunt was
kept up more assiduously than before.
All was fruitless. Weeks, months and
years rolled away, and the child was
unheard of. AT last the family mourned
their treasure as dead. Whatever its
fate, there seemed no earthly chance that
they would ever hear of it more. And
yet, about six weeks ago there came a
announcement to this story Of real life SO
odd and unexpected as to deserve record
among the much-talked cases wherein
life's actual events transcend those of
fiction.
One morning last May gentleman
went from Quebec to Montreal, and, be-
ing in the large city, stepped into
shop to buy hat. This gentleman was
friend of the family who lost the child,
and whose name was Richard. He OBJ
served on entering the shop that the
keepers name was Richmond. This
trifing and partial coincidence would
have made no impression had he not d.
rectly afterwards noticed surprising
resemblance between Richmond the hat.
ter and the Richard family of Quebec.
Going home to his lodgings he wrote
the adventure to his mother, who lives
in that town, and after posting the let
ter felt strongly moved toreturn and cross
question Richmond touching his origin.
This was done. and to some surprise, for
Richmond declared that he had been
reared from infancy by an Indian wo.
man whom he had been taught to regard
as his mother. She had always been
kind to him, but never, until lying on
her death-bed, confessed the fact that
she had stolen him from his parents
door when an infant, had brought him
into the forest among her own red breth-
rem, and raised him for her own. His
family name she said she had forgotten,
but gave that of Richmond as being
something like it. After the squaw's
death the young man went to Quebec
and tried to find his people. Bnt the
change of name, his own extreme igno-
rance and simplicity, and the probable
absence at the time of his parents, pre-
vented his success. Afterward he made
his way to Montreal, and got into the
trade he was following when discovered.
The story was quickly conveyed to the
Richard family, and the mother came
on to Montreal where, by certain birth
marks known to herself, she was able to
corroborate the identity OF her long-lost
child. The process being the opposite
Of that employed with an equally mys-
terious halter in Box and Cox" is pro-
nonnced entirely satisfactory by the
Canadian Press, which is consequently
in the enjoyment of sensation of strict
ly home manufacture, combined with
the rare merit of strict veracity \
Times. a