Daily globe., 1879-09-21

and his honesty and kindly heart. His
wife had been delicate, pretty girl
when he married her, and after her second
child was born her health broke down, she
became confirmed. invalid. The couple
had two children "a boy named Michael,
who was, at the time referred to, about
eight years old, and Mabel, who was then
ssbaby," about five years old. Mabel
was a pretty child. and her parents petit
ed her and dressed her in a style that
made her the envy of all the mothers in
the neighborllood. One day Mabel went
into her mothers room and told her she
wanted to go and play with some other
little girls who lived on the next street.
Mrs. Lawton gave her consent, but told
her to be sure to come home to dinner.
Mabel promised, kissed her mother gayly,
and ran out OF the room-out of the
world as far as the poor mother was con-
cerned, for she never saw her again.
Maoel did not ccne home to dinner, and
at supper time Michael was sent after
her. He soon returned with pale,
frightened face, and told his father
that his little sister had started
for home at noon, and no one knew where
she was. Search was made for her in
every direction, but without avail No
trace of her could be discovered. A
month afterward the mother died heart
broken, and the father sold his property
and became homeless wandcrey, with
but one object in lite, the finding of his
lost one. Taking his son with HIM he
travelled from state to state, visiting pub
l i0 f11fi Vxyha oh,l n
for, and going through cities making in
quiries which he thought might lead to
the desired result. From the United
States the search was extended to Europe,
and finally, in aSpanish city, Mr. Lawton
caught local fever and died in few
days, leaving his son, then boy of nine
teen, all Of his fortune Mr.. Lawton
! told his boy that he had no near relative
except brother, who had gone to Cali
fornla in the first flush of the gold fever,
and had never been heard Of atterward.
Michael Lawton came back to this
country, entered college in the East,
and graduated with honor. He ytudied
law in the Office of a New York lawyer,
and after being admitted to the bar he
went West and made his home IN new
ly settled state, where he soon built up a
good practice. Ono winter Eawton
went to New York to visit a college
chum, Marchmont, who had married and
gone into business. Morchmont had sev-
eral young sisters, and one afternoon
Lawton was introduced to Miss Mabel
Letcher, young lady who was their mu-
sic teacher. She was exceedingly pfetty,
and lady in manner and mind, and
Lawton fell violently IN love with her,
and before he left the city he asked her
to marry him, and she accepted him.
They were married the following spring
and went to Lawton's Western home,
where they lived happily for six years,
during which time two children were
born to them. Miss Letcher told Lawton
after their engagement she was an orphan,
that her parents had died when she was
a chlld, and she could not remember
them at all. She had been named by a
kind-hearted lady in Eastern OHIO. She
had taught school, and made sufficient
money to enter school in the East.
where she studied music, and after she
had graduated she got class of girls for
pupils, and while thus engaged She met
| LaWton. LaWton was sitting in his office
one day, when an odd-loosing man came
in and asked for "Mr. Lawton" An in
PRODUCTION took place, and after the usual
prcliminaries the stranger said he was a
lawyer from San Francisco. He then
| asked Lawton if he would tell him his
fathers name and where he had been
born. Although surprised at the ques-
hons, Lawton complied, and the stranger
| then explained his errand.
"You have heard your father speak, T
suppose, of brother who went to Califor-
MIA good many years ago, and who did
not write of his doings Well, am his,
representative, and was his friend to the
hour he died. Years ago he went to-
| mentioning the town where Lawton was
born), and there he heard of tie manner
in which your little sister disappeared and
| of your fathers departure. He tried to
find him, for while, but did not succeed,
and then he went home again He made
up his mind to find your sister, if posi-
BILE. He employed several skillful de-
tectives, and spent great deal of money
in the search. A year ago lie died, and
in his will he directed that you should
be his heir unless your sister was d1scov-
cred. In that event she was to have
half of his property. l saw your name in
paper some weeks ago, and, on making
! inquiries became convinced that you
who was 3 my friend and who
| intrusted me with the care of affairs. And
nowhere the stranger paused an in
stant-'now have something still more
strange to tell you. We have found
trace Of your sister. She was stolen by
party of vagrants for the clothes and
trinkets she wore, and was taken to East
ern Ohio. She was taken very ill, ana
left with a good-hearted lady, who adopt
ed her as Ter daughter. After her re-
covery she could not remember her name
or where she had lived. When this lady
died, Mabel taught school for several
years, and then went to study music.
After she left school7I think she went to
New York, but cannot say. We have
no trace of .her for six years. She was
named after the lady who adopted her
and was known as Mabel Letcher.n
"Known as what2" screamed Lawton.
"Mabel Letcher." "Great God! now she
has been my wife for six years."
|. 1t was so indeed. Another examina-
ton showed beyond question that Mabel
Letcher and Mrs. Michael Lawton were
one and the same person. The agony of
the two people, can be imagined. In
their eyes they had sinned beyond hope
OF redemption. They separated. Mrs.
Lawton is still living in town in Massa-
chusetts, where she has been for many
years. The children are at school and
Michael Lawton is in his, grave. He
gave up all his business, grew frigbtfully