Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-07-18
STRANGER THAN FICTION.
Romantic story So Connection with
the Life OF a Medical student.

Romantic story So Connection with
the Life OF q mrdical student.
Nashville Banner, July l6thl
Among the students attending
the recent session Of the Nashville
Medical College was William Il. Du-
Bose, a young man about twenty
two years of age, nearly six feet
tall, erect and symetrical as an In
dian, weighing about one hundred
and tifty-tive pounds. In manners
he was quiet modest and retiring.
He was an indefatigable student,
and a close and attentive listener
to the lectures. In conversation he
was easy, graceful and fluent, but
always unobtrusive and his features
when in repose wore an air of un-
utterable sadness and dispondency,
yet it was a sadness that loved CON
cealment. How much his past
history may have impressed deep
gloom and melancholy upon "a ma
lurally bright and joyous disposition
no one can tell.
Susan McClane, nee Miss Smoot,
daughter of a general of that
name, Of gallant memory in the
war Of 1922, the young widow of
Judge McOlane, of Louisiana, mar.
ried William E. DuBose, OF this
marriage was born their only son,
upon whom was bestowed the Chris
tian name of his father When four
years of age his father left him and
his mother in Houston, Texas, and
went to California to seek fortune
there. Almosta a year after the father
had gone, the mother removed to
New Orleans, where she owned pro.
perty. There, in 1863 she died,
leaving her little boy to the charge
of her sister, wife of Colonel Jen-
nings of the Confederate army.
With the commencement of the
war all correspondence between Mr..
DuBose and his wife was broken
off. After the surrender of New
Orleans Colonel W. II. Vance, of
the Forty-seyenth Indiana regi-
ment, saw little William and was
at once charmed with his yivacity,
sprightliness, beauty and intelli-
gence, and being without children,
determined to take the little orphan
and rear aud odpcate him. William
warmly reciproeatel big generous
attachment, and even ACCOMPANIED
him in his different campaigns, was
present at the attack upon Calves
ton whare the Federals We're re-
pulsed, was az the battle Of Sabine
Pass and other engagements in
fact was with Colonel Vance for
two years, and was then sent to the
colonels wife, resi@ing in Portland,
/
Indiana, who received little Willie
with the utmost Joy, layished upon
| him the tenderest affection, and
placed him at Liber College, where
he prosecuted his studies with great
industry for three years. Meantime
Col v. returned home, and subse-
quently removed With bis wife and
little Willie TO New Cory9oR, Ind,
where he practiced his profession,
being physician. While there, Mr..
Bcman came to DR.. V.'s residence
and infoFmed him, in the presence
of William, that lie bad seen an
advertisement purporting 10 he
from William L. DuBose, inquiring
for his son, and not only from the
name, but the personal description
of the child, be had po doubt that
William was the person sought. pr,
v. promised to drive to Mr.. Bis
house that afternoon and examine
the advertisement, but Gfterward
told William that the paper bad
been destroyed, so that be could
not see it. This was the first intel.
ligenee RECEIVED of his father after
the war. lie had supposed him
dead. Now his controlling desire
became to see his father. Without
the knowledge Of DR.. Vance he
wrote and caused an advertisement
to be inserted in the New Orleans
Picayune, giving his genealogy and
a personal description Of himself,
and asking intelligence Of his
father This hrouoht To him letters