Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1875-11-16
4 From the Portland Advertiser. !
The ROtimdn Family.
A Portland seamstress la Luck.

Some ten years ago there lived in this
city family by the name of ROjman.
whose Singular vicissiludes and expert
ences since that Tina make quito little
romance. As The tale was told to Us it
is worth giving to The public.
About the year 1855 the Rodman
family consisted of the father John Rod
mana man s)ms thirty years of age,
and mechanic by trade-his wife. and
two children. one young boy Of eight,
named Charles. and the other daughter
of six, named Mary Both son and
daughter were bright. pretty children
while Mrs. RDlmsn WAS a handsome.
intelligent woman. who had received n
good public school educltion. R1dmlu.
the father. was n stout, active man, q
good workman, a1d not without consid.
erable talent. The family lived very
quietly in the upper story of building
near tho corner OF franklin and Fore
streets, not very desirable locality, but
the rent was cheap and the desire of the
father was TO save money enough 10
buy him little house Ia pleasant
neighborhood without having 10 place q
mortgage on 1t when he bought it. The
mother was Interested 10 her home cares,
and in seeing that her two children did
not become plaYnates OF those Of some
Of her ueighbors whose acquaintanceship
was undesirable.
The great fire OF 1866 swept over the
city and the Rodm.ns found themselves
not only deprived of home by the
llames. but Rodman himself. like so
| many others. WIS throwl out of work
He did not think re- building would begin
50 soon. and there would quickly be
enough for him to do. He took his vile
and family and went to. Harlem, on the
outskirts OF New York, where he had O
brother living. Here the family re.
mained 4 short time, when al opportu-
nifty was afforded Mr.. Rodman TO go out
to Valparaiso. He loft his family behind
in his brothers. care. The brother was
wiIower. with little property and no
children. For short time letters were
received from Rodman enclosing money
for the lamily and expressing confidence
that ho should soon be able to send for
them. Then his letters suddenly ceased.
The brother died and what little 70.
NAMED OF bis property waa eaten up by
the lawyers,
In 1870 Mrs. Rodmau and her two
children returned TO Portland. She was
expert with her needle, and also had
some knowledge of fancy work, and by
hard labor managed TO keep The wolf
from the door, In the latter part OF the
year 1872 The captain of an English ves-
sci who was boarding, while in port, at
boarding house where Mrs. Rodman
was engaged to do some dressmaking
for one OF the ladies(wh was a relative
OF the captain's) became qnite interested
in her appearance, and heard her
story from the lady. He saw Charlie,
now grown to be q 10y Of fifteen years.
and Waa 81 pleased with his appearance
Ga offered to take him to sea with him.
The boy gladly accepted the invitation.
and with his mothers blessing, sailed on
the caplajh's Wig. fhe vessel was
boapl for Galveston bat never reached
port although some articles helou ging to
her were picked up in the Gulf.
! When the agonlzed mother, heard of
the loss of the vessel. and of her boy
whom she almost idolized, the blow.
together with the hard work 10 which
she had subjected herself, brought on 3
| brain fever, and il it had NO, b2sa ior the