Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1877-12-19

vain. After fruitless search OF Ovel
week he was compelled to give hi
son upa lost, and pursue isjourney
ing toward Iowa. The mothers griel
knew NO bounds. She wept continu
ally, and, like Rachel of old, refused
to be comforted. Her boy--her onl!
SON, tie pride of her heart, was los
and only God knew what his fate ma!
have been. So, with broken hear
and anxious mind, she took up he
journey with her husband and daugh
ter to their new home in Iowa. They
reached this state in the fall of 1850
and settled on . new farm of l6'
acres, in Washington township, Poll
county. Fortune favored them ant
Mr.. Cressout made money very fast
He was prudent, economical man
and his wife was the best of wives
in every sense helpmeet. His land
grew broader, his herds multiplied
and in a few years he gained hand
some competence. But the loss of hi
con was the one great shadow of hi
lite, as well Is that of his wife,
Around their cheerful fireside thu
s sg4is Ct xapld 1 Rs Eels.ed, and tn
mer rain, whenever Roberts name
was mentioned.
But what Of Robert? When he
found himself in Grand Haven, Mich
igan, the destination of the steamer
he knew not what to do. He had NJ
money with which to telegraph to hi
friends, and NO one would believe
his story. SO he was compelled tt
20 to work at something, and finally
secured work in q large sawmill as q
driver Of sawdust cart. He work.
ed here some time, until he obtained
some money, and then set about try
ing to find his parents. lie advertis'
ed in the Chicago papers, but to nc
avail. At last he gave it up and CON
cluded that it was useless to continue
the search. His life was passed fol
several years in Michigan. He work
ed at odd jobs in various towns ano
cities in that statc-Detroit, Lansing
Ann Arbor, Jackson, Saginaw, and
others. At last he determined ia
come TO Iowa, and cndeavor once
more to find his parents. He landed
in Iowa in 1874 and went to work in
Dubuque ~ . clerk in one of the no.
tells. He hoped by occupying this po'
sition to gain some clew al
to the whereabouts Of his par
ents. But time passed on and ht
failed to hear any tidings of them
About q month ago he saw the name
Of John Cressout in the State Regis
ter, and thought it must be that o
his father. He came to this city tn,
Monday before Thanksgiving and in
quired Of the newspapermen and no
tel keepers as to their knowledge O.
his father. They directed hin
to the Office of the County
Recorder. He went and found hi
fathers name recorded upon tn,
book of deeds % farmer in Wash
ington township. Arriving there, h
inquired whether John Cressou
lived thereabouts. He was directed
to q large, comfortable house, sur
rounded by spacious barns, and hav
ing the appearance all around o
thrift and wealth.
Let us paint the picture. 1t j
Thanksgiving Day. Everything i
busy in John Cressot's kitchen. Thu
large table in the spacious dining
room il being loaded with SAVIOR.
food. The ovens are steaming will
crisp, brown turkeys, dressed In tn
most fragrant trimmings that tn
skillful hand Of . housewife coult
prepare. The parlor IL filed with
happy party Of friends end neighbor
Of Mr.. Cressout who had gatheret
by invitation to partake Of his Thanks
giving hospitality. There is knocl
at the front door. Mr.. Crcssout at
tends to II. A stalwart, handsome
young man, with . bright look and
perfect form, stands before him. He
informs the stranger that this is the
home of Mr.. John Cress0ut. He il
invited 10 . private room, and, at his
request, Mrs. Cressout is summoned,
% the stranger informed Mr.. Cress-
out that he has few private ques-
tons to ask them. Mrs. Cressout APP
pears and seats herself by the side Of
her husband. The stranger asked
them il they had son by the name
of Robert, who was lost in Chicago
some seventeen years ago. They re-
ply with anxious breath that they had.
The stranger rises and makes him
self known. Let US withdraw. The
scene is too sacred for the public gaze
It is the reunion of loving hearts, the
return of q wandering son. 1t was a
day for Thanksgiving indeed. 1t was
q red letter day in the home of John
Cressout. No happier home than
this could be found in all the domain
Of nature. With the patriarch of old
could they exclaim, "Rejoice, for my
SON that was dead is now alive; he
that was lost is found"