Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1879-08-20
Alexamdrix Ouzette
Entered st the PoatotEce .. Alexandra, Va ,ss
second class M&t,c7l
TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION.
Married his own Sister.

LaWtop, was lawyer and sDeculator, and he,
| been merchant. Ho had g;own rioh-ver,
| rich for those days--and wac noted for his kee,
business sugscity and his honest and kind,
heart. His wife had been delicate and pretty
girl when he married her, and afcs he. scooud
child was born her health brtkc duTo aud 81,
| became confirmed invalid. The ooup!e had
two children, a boy named Michael, who wa.
Ithen baby" and vas about FIVE years DID, auG
q girl named Mabel. Mabal was pretty child
and her parents pstted her and dressed her ia
a style that made her the envy Of all the moth,
eri in the neighborhcod.
Ooe day Mabel went into her mothers roo n
and told her she wanted to go and play with
some other little girls who live oa tho next
street. Mrs. Llwton gave her consent but
told her to be sure to come home to dinner.
Mabel promised, kissed her mother gayly, aud
ran out OF the room-out of the w,rd as far as
the poor mother vas c3ncerncd, tor she uover
saw her again. Mabel did not come hom, 10
dlnner, aod at supper TINA Miohaa was s,nt
after her. H5 5000 returned With pale.
| frightened face, and told his father that his
sister had started for homo az noou, and no oos
| knew where she was. Search w:s m.is for
| her in every direction, but without avail. n,
| trace of the lost one could bo discovered
| A month afierTard tn, mother died heart.
broken, and the father sold his property and
became homeless waodercr, With bat one Oh.
j cot 10 lile-the finding OF his lost cue. Tskiug
! his son With him DC travelled from State to
State, visiting public Institutions where child.
i req were cared for, and soing through cities
making irquirieS which he thought might lead
| to the desired result. From tho United States
| the search was extended to Europe, aud, tiaalr
| ", in Spanish city, Mr.. Llwtou caught a
| local fever and died ia fs| days. leavlog his
SOD, then boy of l9, all Of his fJriuoe. Mr..
| LaWton told bis boy that he had no near r,Ia,
| tive excepta brother. who had gone to Cali.
| fornia in the 6rst flush of The gold fever, aad
had never bean heard Of atierward.
Michael LaHton clme back to this c,u1try.
! entered o,lleCe 10 :he East. an! ggaGu.: ;i
with honor. H. studied law in the oHic, Of a
famous New York lawyer aad: after hsug "a
mltted to the bar, be vent Wes5 aud made Eil
home ia q newly settled State, where he soon
built I'D a good practice. Olo woter Llwton
went to New York to visit 9 colasc chum,
| Marobmont, who had married and gone into
business. Marohmont had scvcra! young sis
ters aud oue afternoon Lawton vas introduced
| to Miss Mabel Letcher, young lady who WIS
Il
pretty and @ lady 10 manner and mind, and
LaWton tell violently in love with her, aud b,.
fore he Left tho city hs asked her to msriy him
and sho accepted him.
They wore married tho fciowiog apring, and
went to Lawton's. Wes:cra home, where they
lived happily l1r slx years. during which time
two children were born 10 them. Miss L,;chcr
told Lawton alter their engasenGns that she
was 40 orphan, that her parents died when she
was child, aud she could not remcmbar them
at all. She had been named by KIDD hcsrtad
lady 10 Eastero O3io. Snc had taught scaoo!
| and made sufficient mooey to eater s1h1oi il;
the Elst where she studied music aaI ;rt:r
she had graduated she sos q r!:9i af s!.!j
for pupils, and while thus engaged ST.: ~.
Lswton.
Lawtcn was sitting in his o(ico o., Day,
when an odd-looking elderly man came 10 aui
asked for "Mr, Lawton. Au introduction
took place, and after tho usual prewluarles.
the stranger said he WAS lawyer from San
Francisco. He then asked LlVlou if he would
tell him his fathers namo and where he had
been born. Although surprised at the question,
Lawton complied, and the stranger then cy-
planned his crraDd You have heard your
father speak, | suppose of brother who went
to California many years ago, and who did not
write home of his doipgs. Well. | am bis rep
resentativc, and l vas his friend to the houc
he died. Years ago he went to -- men
tiouug the town where La1ton was bora, un,l
there he heard Of the manner in which your
little sister disappeared and OF you: father i
departure. lie tried 10 find him for while,
but did not succeed, aud then be ws0t nome
lagain.
HE made up bis mind to find your sister If
it Was possible. Hs employed several sklllful
detectives aud spent great deal Of his monc2
10 the search. A year ego be died, aud in mis-
will directed that you should be his heir Jules
your sister vas discovered. Ii that event she
was to have half OF his property. | saw your
came 10 paper some weeks ago, aod Ga max
log irq1iries became convinced that you wers
the nephew of the man who was my friend,
and who intrusted noe with the caro- Of bis prop
erty. Aud nowhere tho speaker paused tot
an instaut-"oow have something still moro
strange to tell you. We have found trace Of
your sister.
"She IVES stolen by party Of vagra0ts 70!
tho clothes and trio ukets she wore, aud vas takcl
| to Eastern Ohio. She was taken very i'll, aod
vas left with good hearted lady who adopted
| her az her daughter After her recovery she
could net remember her name or where she had
lived. When this lady died Mabel taught schoo
far several years, aud then she vent East tc
3 study music. After she left school thlok she
went to New York, but oaouot say. We have
: 40 trace of her for six years. SheUa named
IS after the lady who adopted her, and wa: kno"t
- as Mabel Letcher."
"Kocwo as what?" screamed L1w:o0.
mabel L,tcher. !" =
!. "Great God, now she has been my.wifc fH
It six ycars!'' l. was 50 indeed. Further g q
- animation showed beyond question that Nab:
"a L,Ytor and Mrs. Michael Llwtou were on
aud The same per:,n. They separated; Mrs
Lawtou is still livicg in town in Massachu'et!S
= where she has been for many years The CHI
d dren are at school, and Michael L.WSon Is Il
/ bis grave He gave up all his business, grey
le frs h,fuy dissipated, aud, af:er spead!Gg ueaI
= " all the money he had reserved tor himse!
IS he wandered to tho lovely little Maryland fa'G
where be suove to bury The past, and wnsrs n,
lived life of toll. The clover blossoms arc
: sweet about bis grave aud the wild Howe'
ID bloon as sWeety there as though he who secl
or in that ouiet mock was at last at rest.-feac