Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-01-22
A California Romance.
how MAN AND WIPE MET AFTER TWENTY
YEARS SEPARATION.


YEARS SEPARATION.
| From the Valley Chronicle December 30
One of those strange episodes in
human life which makes us sometimes
wonder at "the eternal fitness of things"
occurred last night at the Vallejo
junction. The tide being low on the
arrival of the Contra Costa, passen-
gers for Vallejo s.re compelled to
make quite descent from the wharf
to the boat, and the ladies required
the assistance Of the gentlemen pres
ent. A Mr.. g., a grain speculator,
was doing the agreeable in this re-
spect, and one of the last ladies to de-
scend was overburdened with few
bundles, which he took charge of, and
accompanied the lady to the cabin,
where they sat and engaged in con-
versation. The subject finally touch
ed upon the nativity of each, when it
was found they were both from the
same town in Kentucky. This fact
made each more communicative, when
he inquired her name, which was given
as Mrs. G. Immediately the gentle
man grew pale and excited, and asked:
"You had daughter, did you not ?"
81 did" she responded. "Pray, how
did you know that?"
"Is that daughter living?"
"She is, and at present on n visit to
friends at Vallejo, where | am now
going"
"Merciful heavens he gasped.
"My childw
"sir," said the lady, rising; "what
do you mean ?"
"Mean p he crafty replied. "Mean?
Why, | mean that that daughter is my
own child and you are my wife ?"
Almost overpowered at this confes-
sion she piled him with questions, to
every one of which he returned a cor
rect answer, when she was convinced
that the man was really her husband,
from whom she had been separated
twenty years. 1t seems the twain
were married at Paris, KY, in 1858,
and thirteen months afterward he
went TO Liverpool on business. The
vessel on which he took passage was
wrecked and all on board were sup
posed to have persisted. The news
coming to the young wife's ears, she
was utterly prostrated and was ordered
TO California by her physicians. Ar
irving here she took up her residence
in Los Angeles. The husband was
picked up from the wreck by fishing
smack and taken TO some remote for
eign port, where he was thrown upon
bed of sickness, which lasted some
fifteen months. In the meantime he
had written repeatedly 10 his wife, but
received no answer. In his despair he
concluded TO risk journey across the
Atlantic. Feeble as he was he ship
ped before the mast on a sailing vessel,
and in due time arrived in New York.
From there he wrote three times TO
his wife, but received no answer. Al
most frenzied at the thought that she
might be dead, and being without
funds and no friends, he faced" his
fare clear to Kentucky, and short
ly after arrived at Paris. Inquiries
throughout the town assured him that
his wife had disappeared a year or so
before, and no one knew whittier.
Some said she had gone in search of
her husband, others that she might be
dead, and others that she had gone TO
California. He sought the old family
physician, but he had left the town
some time before. Mr.. G.. then went
to work at Louisville and made enough
to bring him to California year after
his arrival in Kentucky. He searched
everywhere after his absent wife, but
without success and finally gave her
up as dead, and she also bad mourned
for his death. Neither, however, had
married again, and last evening on
board the Contra Costa was the first
intimation either had that the other
was in existence.
The now happy couple arrived here
last night, and to the surprise of the
friends of the lady she introduced her
husband, from whom she had been
separated twenty years. But imagine
his unutterable surprise and joy when
the mother led into the parlor beau
tiful young lady, his own daughter,
whom he had not seen since she was
a babe. Father, mother and child
will leave tomorrow for San Francisco,
where Mr.. G., who is now a compara-
lively wealthy man has his business