The Western advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1872-1874, 1874-09-05
Lost and Found.

years ago last spring an honest German
named Charles Meyers, accompanied by
his wife, Wilhelmina, and two children
They settled in Syracuse. Late in the
same summer, and before either could
talk English with any accuracy, Charles
and his wife went to Vernon and Augusta
to pick hops. While they were at work
in Augusta the company separated
Charles remaining on onc farm and his
wife, Wilhelmina, going with another
German woman who could talk English
to work on another farm about two miles
from Pratt's Hollow.
Hop-picking being over, Charles Mey-
ers and the company with him were bun
died into the cars and sent to Syracuse
lie had no fears about his wife, because
lie supposed she would remain with the
woman in whose company he left her.
Within day or two, home came the
other woman, but no Wilhclmina. Said
Charles, "Where is my wife," Said the
woman, "She left me to find you" And
so Charles Meyers lost his wife. He
could not find her in Vernon; he could
not find her in Augusta; he could not
find her anywhere. For two years did
Wilhelmina. Every cent he could spare
voted to advertising for Wilhclmina.
Time and again he heard of women alive
and dead who were supposed to be Will
hclmina, and time after time he hunted
them up to find "no Wilhclmina" He
saved an extra penny to keep a light at
the window for Wilhclmina, and he WAS
up with the lark to pray-after he had
looked down the street to see if there
came his DOOR Wilhclmina
Sometimes his fellow -workmcn would
say to him: "Well, Charlie, your wife
must be dead, or you would hear from
her." and he would shake his head and
say: "May be, but don't believe it."
Sometimes they would say: "Charlie,
your wife has gone off with another man.
You will see her no more" andGhc would
slap his hands earnestly together and
fairly shout: "No, stree! She never don't
do dot. Poys, know dot woman, dot
Wilhclmina. / knows her nit mine
heart"
After two years Of faithful, unavailing
search Meyers gave up in despair, and,
not being able to withstand the grief
which his surroundings in Syracuse con-
stantly called up afresh, he took his chill
dren and went TO Rondout.
Four years ago this fall woman was
brought to the County House A. Rome
partially insane with the burden of a
great grief She was perfectly harmless,
but hopclcssly confused. She could give
no account of herself. She did not know
who she was or where she came from,
and only remembered that she once had
a husband and that she had lost him.
Under kind care she slowly grew better,
| and as she felt more familiar with
her surroundings her mind slowly re-
| sumcd it's sway. She remembered more
about her husband and about her two
children, but how she lost them she
could not tell. She was gentle and in
| dustrious, and became in time rather i,
favoritc not only with the inmates but
| with the matron and her assistants as
we'll.
Last winter a young tramp, one of the
numerous females that represent SYRIA.
cusc through the State, stopped at the
| County House as a transient" To her
was told the story of the German woman
who had lost her husband, and she re-
mcmbered that a German living on Sa-
but she could not tell his name. She
thought if Mr. Cheney (who questioned
her) would write to one Mr.. Waters, a
tinsmith, that gentleman could tell him
all about the case. With this clew Mr.
Cheney traced the case until he became
satisfied that the man Meyers, who had
| gone to Rondout, was the husband of the
confused German woman under his care
| Then trouble was experienced in getting
! Meyers from Rondout. He had gone in
search Of so many Wilhelminas, and he
had been SO unsuccessful; but finally a
! friend in whom he had confidence wrote
him such an account as to convince
him that Wilhelmina had been
found. Then he packed up all his furni
ture, everything he had owned
when Wilhelmina left him, and he
shipped all back to Syracuse, and he
passed through Rome last Tuesday night
with his two children, and he got his old
place in Syracuse with his old employer
and bright and early last "Wednesday
he was en- route for Rome-and Wilhelm
ina.
Cheney took him into the reception
room, and Mrs Cheney brought in Will
helmina. At first she looked vaguely
and then more sharply at Meyers, and
then-well, we cannot tell you what hap
pened then. There was the happiest
German in this broad universe, huggine
the happiest of all women, until he made
her corsets crack, 1t she had any on. She
knew who she was then; she knew al
about it. And that Dutchman who knew
dot Wilhelmina in his heart" had his re
ward
And Cheney was just as much pleased
about it as any one-bless his big heart
and if he stood on one leg and shouted
Hosannah in the. highest, and on eartt
peace, good will toward mem" why, it ii
nobody's business. There was gay
party in that County House reception
room -Caracnae IN Y Sentinel