The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1879-01-07
THE MISSING HEIR.

A CLIENT of the law firm with
IN which l was connected in Lincoln
Nebraska, had died, leaving very large
property, worth nearly $500 ,OOO to be
held in trust until the heirs could be dis
covered.
i was anxious to find the heirs, not
only for pecuniary motives, but because
was made deeply interested in them
by the recital of story which the client,
Marvin Gray, had told to me on the day
Of his death. His breath was almost
spent when stood 10y his bedside and
listened attentively to catch the low
sound of his voice as he whispered the
sad tale of an erring son whom he had
driven from his home in England. He
had sent him from his home one dark
night, twelve years before, because of
his drunken habits, and he had never
seen him since. He had heard of him
but once in all these long years; then
he was an officer aboard n ship plying
between Liverpool and New York.
Though he had searched the world over
he could get no trace Of his son, and
finally, worn out by incessant grief and
travelling, he lay down in the far West
among strangers, to die without having
accomplished the one great desire of his
aching heart.
AS the death dew was gathered on his
brow, he finished his story, and, with
an indescribable look of agony, asked
me to swear to take up the work where
he had left it, and devote my life, if
need he, to finding of his son, if living.
should receive $4,000 when he was
found. Young and romantic, my SYM
pathies were fully aroused so with my
hand clasped in the nervous grasp OF
the dying man, L promised never to
give up the search until the lost one was
found.
Mr.. Gray had made such disposition
of his property that could draw my
travelling expenses; so 1 commenced the
important task the day after his untime-
ly death.
/ took the cars at Lincoln and was
sOoh seen III NTele, sIlldil SldulOH Ill
Nebraska. Here L changed to the ,tage
coach bound for Hobler's rancho, fifteen
miles to the north. AS we were travel
ing along at rate of speed for which
Western stage coaches are removed, l
tried to shape some definite course to
pursue, and had almost decided to
retrace my journey to Lincoln and start
for the Eastern States, when my
thoughts were diverted from the subject
by the sudden upsetting of the lumber
ing vehicle. We had been threading our
way around the edge of gulch, when
the shying of one of the horses sent the
coach and contents in a heap to the bot
tom. was conscious of falling, and
then all was blank.
When 1 recovered my consciousness L
was in apleasant though plainly furnish
ed room, through the door of which /
could see pale-faced woman sewing
near table. At the same time she was
sweetly humming baby song and rock
ing an old.fashioned cradle with her
foot. 1t was an interesting picture, and
made me think of my own childhood,
with my mother singing baby Nell to
sleep. tried to think how 1 came to
be there, and wondered if l had died and
was in Heaven,
AS my thoughts turned to myself 1
tried to arise, when an acute pain in my
side made me cry out in agony. Then
the sweet face of the woman was over
my pillow, and tender eyes looked pity |
ingly into mine as she asked me if 1
felt much pain. Her voice, so low and
sweet made me forget my suffering, and
asked where 1 was and how / came
there.
6 Don't you remember you're falling
into the gulch with the stage coach yes
terday !'' she asked.
Oh, now remember - I replied. ''I
was going to Hobler's rancho, when we
were all tipped into that gulch and
killed.
" No, not killed" !" she said, smiling at
my serious tone; 6 but badly bruised;
and Marvin brought you here for me to
nurse back to life, for you were almost
gone when he got you out of the
wreck"
was going to ask who Marvin was,
but she said 1 must not talk any more
until the fever had left me.
The following week was period of
great suffering to me, but my faithful
nurse did all that could be done TO make