The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-02-04
A ROMANTIC REUNION.
How Man and Wife Mot After Twenty
Years. Separation.

Years. Separation.
A late issue of the Vallejo (Cal.)
Chronicle says: One of those strange
episodes in human life which makes us
sometimes wonder at "the eternal fit
ness of things" occurred last night at
the Vallejo junction. The tide being
low on the arrival of the Contra Costa
passengers for Vallejo were compelled to
make quite descent from the wharf to
the boat, and the ladies required tue
assistance of the gentlemen present. A
Mr.. g., q grain speculator, was d. ing the
agreeable in this respect, and one of the
last ladies to descend was overbrrdened
with n few bundles. which he took
charge Of, and accompanied the lady to
the cabin, where they sat and engaged
in conversation. The subject finally
touched upon the nativity ofeach, when
it way found they were both from the
same town in Kentucky. This fact
made each more communicative, when
he inquired her name, which W g given
as Mrs. G. Immediately the gentleman
grew pale and excited, and asked:
"You had a daughter, did you notp"
II did "she responded. PRAY, how
did you know that?''
as that daughter livinge"
"She is, and at present en- a visit to
friends at Vallejo, where am now 60
ing, g,,.-.:s,, ., , . ....-.z .,,-
child"
"sir," said the lady. rising; "what
do you mean?"
'Mean?" he crafty replied. "Meane
Why, l mean that that daughter is my
own child and you are my wife!"
Almost ostoverpowered at this confession
she piled him with questions, to every
one of which he returned q correct
answer, when she was convinced that
the man was really her husband, from
whom she had been separated twenty
years. Itseems 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 supposed to have perished.
The news coming to the young wife's
ears, she was utterly prostrated and was
ordered to California by her physicians.
Arriving 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 foreign
port, where he was thrown upon a bed
of sickness, which lasted some fifteen
months. In the meantime he had writ
ten repeatedly TO his wife, but received
no answer. In his despair he concluded
to risk a journey across the Atlantic.
Feeble as he was he shipped before the
mast on a sailing vessel, and in due time
arrived in New York. From there he
wrote three times to his wife, bu. re-
ceived no answer. Almost frenzied at
the thought that she might be dead, and
being without funds and no friends, he
"faced" his fare clear to Kentucky, and
shortly after arrived at Paris. Inquiries
throughout the town assured him that
his wife had disappeared year or 30
before, no one knew whittier. Some
said she had gone in search OF her hus-
band, 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.. &. then went to work at Louisville
and made enough to bring him to Cali
fornia q year after his arrival in Ken
lucky. He searched everywhere for his
absent vile, but without success, and
finally gave her up US dead, and she also
had 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 sep
arated twenty years. But imagine his
mother led into the parlor'a beautiful
young lady, his own daughter, whom he
had not seen since she was q babe.
Father. mother and child will leave to-
morrow for San Francisco. where Mr..
G., who is now a comparatively wealthy
man, has his business, and where they
will hereafter reside.