The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1875-12-03
Restored Afte7. Many Years.
A ROMANCE OF REAL LIFE.

ROMANCE OF REAL LIFE.
An evening paper of this city publishes
romantic story of the loss of little child
a. the capture and pillage of Corinth, Mis-
sissippi, by the Union forces in the late
war, and Of his restoration to his family
after thirteen years had passed and the lit
tie boy had grown to be a man. In the
tight of the inhabitants from the burning
town, most of the people hurried down the
railroad track leading from the southern
part of the place, and took refuge in the
woods and fields along The route. Soon the
streets were deserted by all except this lit
tie boy, who became separated from his
friends, and stricken with terror he ran
hlther and thither in his bewiderment, and
at last hid himself in freight car which
had escaped the general conflagration.-
Among the Union soldiers who soon
poured into the city was Captain (after-
ward GeneraD Hickenlooper. of the Fifth
Ohio Battery, who discovered the boy and
took him back to the camp, where by his
youthful intelligence he became a great fa-
vorite. The boy stated that bis name was
Frank Foster. and that his faJher and
brother were in the rebel army, his brother
being an aide to General Beauregard but
as all search for them had failed, it was
believed that they were dead. The Gener-
al, out of pity, adopted the boy. and in Au-
gust, 1862, sent him to Cincinnati. where
he was taken charge Of by the Generals $
father and mother. He was sent to school
and afterwards served an apprenticeship in
the Surveyors Office under his patron. the
General, becoming at length IA good civil
engineer. During all these twelve or thr-
teen years he never ceased, when an oppOr-
tunity offered, of making diligent inquiry
with regard To his parents and family. but
in vain all he remember ed was his faith
ers and mothers name; and with only
this to guide him it seemed a hopeless
task.
He wrote repeatedly to his old home, but
the letters were all returned, no one having
called for them. He inserted from time to
time advertisements in the Memphis and
other southern papers, but they brought no
response; and, from the day that he was
first taken to the Union camp, nearly
fourteen years ago, wrapped in an old
army blouse that reached to his ankles,
until Saturday of last week. did ever he
hear one syllable with regard to his father,
mother or friends.
One evening, year or two ago, young
Foster, in company with friends. visited a
theatre in this city, and while all were af-
fected with merrinent by the performance
OF u particular comedian. Foster was silent
and serious, and being afterwards asked
the cause, answered ''that man looked so
much like my mother that it starts me to
thinking
Again, ono night last week Foster visited
the same theatre, and to his astonshment
the same comedian appeared on the stage.
This time he made such an impression on
Fosters mind that he could not sleep. On
Saturday morning of last week two inter
ested friends visited the theatre, and found
the comedian alluded to at rehearsal. They
questioned him closely the names Of both
fatherand mother corresponded exactly, but
he bad no brother. His only brother, Frank.
was lost he said when a child, on the battle
field of Corinth, and all search for him for
thirteen years had proved unavailing, and
he had been given up as dead. The history
of the family was then related in detail, as
to how. after the siege and burning of the
town, they had returned to the old liome in
Dunkirk. Now York. finally moving to
Cleveland, where they bad remained ever
since the fathers death; the now broken
hearted old mother !: the struggles of the
only surviving son to earn n living for his
mother and sisters, and his final debut and
success on the stage, the unavailing search
for the lost brother: the advertisements in
eastern and southern cities ; the journeys,
many of them on foot 10 distant places. OF
the distracted mother, still searching for
her lost child.
The brothers, rs soon as they were salts
fled between themselves that they were
brothers, dispatched message of good
news to their mother in Cleveland, and
followed the message in person .ogether.-
Cincinnati Commercial.