Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1874-01-01
A CURIOUS STORY.

y
at New Orleaps. was Mexican tra,iin
vessel commanded BY an eccentric Dutch
captain whose character had been NOR
bidly affected in some respects BY the re-
cent loss of an infant son for whom he
had almost an insane affection. The child
had died in Mexico. and letter from his
wife in their adopted home there Informed
the bercaved father of the sad event, but
it seems as though. tile man could neither
comprehend the locality nor the fact Of the
death; and after reading and frantically
destroying the letter il became his dclu.
sion that he bad brought the boy with
him on the voyage and would presently
find him astray in the streets. Otherwise
fully master Of his reason, in this matter
he was hopelessly insane. and spent dsys
in wandering modify along the water
side of this city in search Of the supposed
.ruant. At last. after coming aboard his
ship very hastily one afternoon with some
kind Of maffied bundle in bis arms, and
hurriedly locking il in his private cabin.
he gave orders for immediate smiling in
the most excited manner, aud betrayed in
tense agitation until the vessel Was fairly
under way. Great was The assessment 81
the mates and sailors to discover by and
BY that the bundle which had been so hur.
riediy carried. iaso tae cabin was very
handsome little boy, about three years
old, who. BY the tune he was allowed to
rr.::yy on. the deck. exhibited no particular
sense Of s,raugcness or distress. Where
he came from no one could guess The
captain called and treated him az his own
sou. and appeared unconscious of any 9TH
er relationship; aud rs the deluded tnan
was happy once in the misconception. his
interiors did not long trouble themse!vc.
with specula,ions on the subject Upon
the arrival of the ship at her Mexican port
the crazed father carried the child ashore
to his house. and had scarcely assonishcd
his wife BY the introduction when he was
seized with the brain fever irnpcrilling bis
life for many weeks. During the delirium
of the disease lie repeatedly boassed Of hav-
ing recovered the son they would have
made him believe was dead. But with
his ultimate recovery came a curious
change. Regaiuing his full reason with
his health, he did MT at 6rst eren recog.
uize the boy. aud it was only with great
caution that he vas gradually reminded
Of the manner Of the young strangers s
coming For = time he could rememtcr
nothing about il. and then almost revert.
ed to insanity ~ the facts came slowly
aud misiily back To his mind. Leasin.
the child at home. he hss:cned back to
New Orleans Returning. he sold his
ship. removed to the City Of Mexico. and
from t;,encefarth he aud his wife adopted
the lad as their own, aud called him by
their name. lie was reared and educated
with ample aud parental care aud liberal.
it,. made the hcir OF his foster fathers
respectable property. aud allowed to reach
| manhood without dream Of his true IA.
tivity. Two OF three years ago the cap.
,ain's wife died. and vas flially mourred
by the youth. ani not until within a feu
weeks Of the present writing did the cap.
,aia's own dea,h-bcd bring solution o.
the mystery Of more than twenty years
Finding himself near his cnd. some tw,
or three months ago. the former skip,
per u the trader, now decrepii old man
showed to his Adopted son crumpled ant
iiscoiored New Orleans newspaper o
1851. coniaining IN advertisement Of |,
handsome reward for the recovery Of tbt
boay ola little boy supposed TO be drowned
the sou Of the captain Of Neu JerseJ
vessel. A news item Of the same papcl
explained that the child had ssrsyed from
his father's shipAs the wharf. aud mus
have fallen into the water, as the police
after exhaustive tearch, could end 30 trac'
of him ashore. II was a,so told that th'
bercavsd cspt,in vas from Cspe May. Nes
Jersey. and Vas reaarnins home withou
hope Of ever iiading the body Of his child
which bad prsbaldy drifted ont to sea =
When the young nar beside the bed, q
death in Mexico had curiously read thi
l-ssr his ednsasisni iIad ineiuded I par
ticul.rly ,horcagh conrse OF glish-ik'
diving man solennIs aud .rcmnrsefsiiy re
vesled to hin that be Sad been the iafan
sappesea 10 bss dfomued. aud ras stole
isom the sefy ga,g Hank u his fashsr'
vessel By . mssise wtsch the SELF eou
fe<sing kidnaFpsr axoke from bis ins.sul
! ty. with the alSass meat os tue. brain fever
la his swn hosse. be had hurried back {
thr Crescent t.ty 10 A-e vAaf arc .rds