River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1875-10-01

That there is strain Of murderous In.
sanity in the blood of the Bittenbenders
| there can be no question, but il is singu-
lar indeed that the peculiar madness
should exist in the minds of both father
and mother. If inquiry should reveal
tho fact that the ancient Bttenbenders
married among themselves, as was the
custom century ago in rural Pennsylva-
MIA, then the existence Of insanity in both
father and mother would not appear so
strange. If, on the contrary, it should
be revealed that families not bound to.
gether in blood relationship were repre-.
scented in the marriage, then medicinal
| science would be compelled to solve new
problem-a question whether companion
ship with insane persons begets insanity,
A Missing Youth Turns UP i'm Man
hood After Twenty Years i'm aus
traIia.
from the Pitsburs Gazette.l
Nearly twenty years ago a youth of
rowing turn of mind and decidedly fond
Of adventure, took his departure from
his parental residence in Sligo, on the
South Side, and pushed out on his own
account into the broad and untried world
to seek his fate and fortune. He had
been raised most tenderly; being an only
son of wealthy parents, his every wish
and within were gratified, and neither
effort nor means we're spared to properly
educate him for the better walks of life,
but still he was not happy or contented.
Without making any preparation for
distant and prolonged journey, or inform
/ ing either friends or relations of his in
tentions, he quietly left his home, some.
what Internationally performing mys-
FERROUS disappearance. Days rolled away
nto weeks, weeks into months and
months into years, and the crushed hearts
Of the parents were not relieved by any
gladstone tiding from their boy. They
early gave way to dependency, and,
while settling down to the belief that he
was dead and never more would return,
still hoping against hope, they used all
exertions to learn something of him and
his whereabouts, but all to no avail. No
word, no news, no letter, no answer to
their addressed inquiries to all parts Of
the world, came to solve the mystery
which so burdened their hearts. A few
years ago the father passed away in death
and the recollection Of his wayward son
was with him to the final moment of de-
| parture. Something inwardly told the
| good old man that his boy was yet in this
world, and the priceless legacy of faith.
er's blessing he left for him. The mother,
likewise hopeful, survived the partner OF
her joys aud SORROWS only few years,
| and with her last breath bequeathed to
Alexander the precious gift of her ma
ternal benson. And thus they passed
away.
During the long and lretful suspense o
the loving and distressed parents, the son
was living the life of wanderer, far of
among the rugged gold hills of Australia,
making his livelihood in the wilderness
of new humanity to him. He had not
forgotten his old home, and his heart
often returned to the dear old couple
whose roof and protection he had so sin.
gularly abandoned. He was not long per.
manently domieiled in his new home till
he wrote back to his parents, explaining
hls absence and telling them all about his
romantic trials and thrilling experiences
in his journey to lands so far away from
the old hearthstone. That letter never
came back to check the doubt and misgiv-
ings of mis- friends or to assuage the ha'.
lowed grief of the father and mother. He
awaited in vain for an answering echo to
his message Of undated love anu filial
! duty. No word reached him, and again
he wrO.e home, and fearing the reliability
| of the mail he intTusted the misSIve
to comrade who was coming hither.
That letter was never received; the cour.
Ter never was heard from. Afser this.
Alexander magnified his ofense into
grave proportions, and felt that he was
uniorgiven the transgression and wantOn.
| " forgotten. He wrote no more, and in
his dreams the old folks ever appeared,
out no good guardian angel ever wills.
pered through them how two old grey
heads, bowed in grief, implored the bless.
ings Of God upon him, or how two loving
hearts beat in prayeriul anxiety and sus.
pense in his behalf. Ile married. and
soon three rosy.cheeked children clam.
bered upon his knee, and in them and his
wife he found objects to divert his mind
away from the old home and incentives
to make new and happy one for him.
self. His wife sickened and died. and
his grief was made all the greater on re.
ceiying by post the cold, legal announce.
ment shat he was left the heir to a large
estate by the death Of both his parents.
The lawyers had discovered his address.
even though the efforts Of others in the
same direction had failed thousand
times.
The last will and testament of the faith.
er left all his estate to his wife, the moth.
er, to be held for her use during life, and
to pass to the son. provided he appeared
inside Of ten years after her death TO
claim the possessions. If Alexander did
not appear in the allotted time, all was to
revert 10 st. Paul's Roman Catholic On.
phan Asylum and designated charitable
institutions and purposes. The estate is
worth 100000, and consists Of suburban
and city property, bonds, etc. On Sat.
urday last the heir to all, the long ab.
sent son Alexander, arrived in our city
and sought out the friends of his boy.
hood. Need we attempt to portray the
feelings OF the now subdued and settled
man as he once more sits az the old fire.
ltIp aud rgNeat1 an tho ht-tg~,y r L.. f.r.