The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1880-08-26
a STRANGE STORY.
How Family Were Separated and
Were Reunited After Many
Years.

Pittsburg, Pa, Aug. ga case Of singu-
lar interest has just been developed at Beaver
Falls, Pa, few miles west of Pittsburg
John Sims, professor of music, has resided
there for the past four years. He was joined
yesterday by his daughter, Mrs. james W.
Bouk, of Ashland, Neb. Twenty -four years
ago the Sims family followed the example Of
an old uncle, George II, Walker, and emf
grated to st. Paul, MINI. Mrs. Bouk was
then one year Of age. After residence at
that place Of a few months the mother paid
visit to relatives at Lake Minnetonks, q
summer resort few miles from ST. Paul,
While there party, Of which Mrs. Sims and
her child we're part, took sail on the lake
A storm came up and they were capsized.
The party was rescued, but the child
now the woman-who relates the story
was so young that she knows little OF what
took place. They were taken to hotel
near town called Excelsior. A paper
published statement that Mrs. Sims
and daughter had both been drowned in the
accident. The father read this and went 10
tie train to look for their bodies. Mrs. Sims
in the meantime, knowing nothing Of the
misapprehension of her friends, went on 10
Keokuk to visit other friends. While there
she, too, read an announcement of the death
of Mr.. Sims, whom she supposed WAS her
husband. The uncle mentioned, who had
before this left St. Paul for Keokuk, now
also disappeared, leaving no word, wishing,
as has since appeared, that his friends should
know nothing of him until he succeeded in
making the fortune after which he went TO
the west. "Thus," in the language of the
nsrrator, sin few short months
a family had BEN separated to
meet no more for twenty.three years.
Mrs. Bouk tells the remainder of the story
as follows: my uncle psid visit to the
centennial exhibition in 1876, and stopped in
Allegheny City to ascertain whether he could
find any trace of us. Some gentleman told
my uncle that he had seen Prof Sims In the
city only few days ago. "Impossble," said
my uncle, "for | read Of his DEATH" Never.
theess it was true. My uncle wrote letter
to father and received an answer stating that
his wife and child had been drowned. Ny
uncle returned TO keokus, but could not
rest He inserted an advertisement in q
Chicago paper asking inform atiol regarding
my grandmother and my aunt. Between the
10Th and the last Of Apli', two year.
ago last spring, was in my nome at Ash
land, Saunders county, Nebraska. | felt
an impulse to read the Chicago paper.
The advertisement attracted my eye.
was excited, and told my husband to snswe,
it, as l could not He did, and in few day,
received an answes from my uncle, stating
that | was not his niece, rs she he'd been
drowned then wrote letter to the effec
that if he had lost two fingers of one hand
and-wel | related circumstances that mad,
proofs pesiAve. In few days my long-los
uncle was at our house The meeting can b.
imagined. Then followed explanations
stating that my father was living and well il
Beaver Falls, Pa. l wrote my father, bu
received an answer that surely could not b.
his daughter, as she had been drowned
twenty three years ago. Another letter tolC
him of "Little Dallas" dead brother, ant
other circumstances which made clear case
About three weeks ago started for Beave
Falls to find my long-lost father. l hav,
found him. l have been married severa
years. My husband is in the grain bushes
in Nebraska. Ny mother has been married
the second time, but is now widow. VIVA
the sequel will prove | will have to tell 20,
: another time, as we do not know yet wha
our plans shall be-"
The family is highly respectable, and tn
, story is no doubt strictly true, though SAVIOR
ing more Of romance than reality.