Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-03-12
Gales ano Sketebes.
sAyKIy BROTHERS.
Continued from yesterday. J


That was long before came here. The
site Of this city was then wilderness for
the most part The story goes that the
little one strayed of into the forest, that
search was made for her many DAYS in vain,
until her discovery. alive or dead. was
despaired Of, and no yestige or trace OF
her was ever found"
ibid you ever hear the fist name OF
this lost child mentioned ,'' said the Old
gentleman.
Il may have heard it, but ! have for
gotten It III ever did,"
Here a lady boarder at the same table,
who had been an attentive listener to the
whole conversation, cleared her throat and
intsrRose ID. :, g.. -. ,,.,,, ;. 81, -.
twas Ella. have heard Mrs. Noble and
the Judge speak Of her many times. -
MY dear said the old gentleman To
the young lady. "I'm afraid shall have
10 give you up at last" Then turningt to
Mr.. Rankin, he said:
when this young lady was apparently
about three years Of age, she was found
with family Of Indians in Central New
York, where then resided. The Indians
claimed to have found her in the woods.
lost and nearly famished, many days jour
ney, ~ they said. to the westward. They
protested 10 be willing TO give ner up to
any white persa0 who would take her and
take care Of her.
They had plenty Of children of their
own, so they said, and no occasion to
steal other peoples. Having no children
Of our own. my wife and were glad to
adopt the little stranger. When she was
about twelve years old my wife died. and
since then she and I have got along to-
gether rs well a. we could. Her clothing
when she came 30 Us was marked Ella
NJ in several places. II was badly worn
and soiled, but my wife carefully pre-
served it, thinking 1t might lead to her
Identification. You have it with you,
have you not. Eliza
YES, SIR" said the Young lady, re-
treating 10 her room with evident emo
ton.
There were about dozen people mt
the table, most of them regular boarders
and residents of the city. When the
strange young lady made her appear
ance among them, they had nil supposed
that she was Harry Rankin's bride. and
were on the gNi Uire TO account for her
appearance there and then with n strange
old gentleman. OF course they were CA
ger listeners 10 the above conversation.
and of course the news of the probable
discovery Of Judge Mobiles long lost
daughter, and her marvellous likeness to
her supposed sister travelled fast.
The lady who had volunteered to give
the first name If the lost child was at
Judge Mobiles house at the earliest pos
al 81. Z, f..l L..
were nj the hotel in less than half an hour
from the time when Mr.. Rankin sat down
to breakfast. The young lady's history
and her marvellous likeness to their re-
naming daughter. would have satisfied
them that she was their child if the little
garments in which she had been found
had not been preserved. These. Mrs.
Noble instantly recognized rs her handi-
work and her husband and the old strange
gentleman smiled and exchanged Chances
when they heard the mother apologizing
To the daughter for the coarseness OF
her infant wardrobe
''You see. my daughter said the good
lady. 1.-THE country was new then. and the
ways of the people very plain and print
tive. There was but one store here, and
That very small affair-no dressmakers.
no milliners. no nothing. Your father
was not rich, We kept no servants. |
was young mother. with no experience.
and double portion of work and care
that IL, You understand, you and your sis
ter were twins. You and she could spoil
more good clothes than any woman could
make and keep in order. That's why
you happened to have on such coarse lit
tie things when You were lost"
This sWcstcrni world has changed a
good deal siuce that time" said the old
gentleman ''Such loss and finding
would be simply impossible now. The
newspapers would herald the childs dis
appearances. in all its known particulars.
from one end of the land to the other
Now about these little clothes. NV wife
was greatly impressed with their original
elegance. though they came in her hands
greatly soiled and tsttercd She was es-
pccially struck with the fact that each
article was marked rs il was
The little ones clothing was marked
with her first name in full ut my sucges-
tion." explained the judge. You see.
sir. the two children Were so exactly alike
that nobody but their mother could dis
tinguish them-and It is my belief that
she was sometimes mistaken. So we had
everything belonging to them marked
with their first name in full. to avoid con-
FUSION
May enquire" continued the judge.
1.-THE name of the gentleman to whom we
are so deeply indebtedg"
II am Jonas Cummings. the originator
Of the railroad which brought your city
into notice. as | am vain enough to believe
You and l have been occasional cores
pondents these many years. though now
we meet for the frs, time
Continued Tomorrow