The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-09-09
How a Family We're Separated and Re-
united After Many Years.

A case of singular interest has Just
been developed at Beaver Falls, Pa, q
few miles west of Pittsburg. John
Sims, professor of music, has resided
there tor the last four years. He was
joined yesterday by his daughter. Mrs.
James W. Bouk, of Ashland, Neb.
Twenty-three years ago the Sims fami-
ly followed the example of an uncle,
George H. Walker and emigrated to
St. Paul, MINI. Mrs. Bouk was then
one year of age. After a residence at
that place of a few months, the mother
paid visit to relatives at Lake Mime
tonka, a summer resort a few miles
from St. Paul. While there a party of
which Mrs. Sims and her child were a
part, took a 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 to the lake tolook for their bodies.
Mrs Sims in the meantime, knowing
nothing of the misrepresentation of her
friends, went on to Keokuk to visit
other friends. While there she, too,
read an announcement of the death of
a 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. us
has since appeared, that his friends
should know nothing of him I'M
til he succeeded in making the fort
une after which he went to the West.
Thus" in the language of the nara
tor, Sin few short months a family
had been separated to meet no more
for twenty-three years"
Mrs. Bouk tells the remainder of the
story as follows: "My uncle paid a
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 Professor Sims
in the city only few days before. I'M
possible said my uncle, for read of
his death Nevertheless it was true.
My uncle wrote a letter to father and
received an answer, stating that his
wife and child had been drowned. My
uncle returned to Keokuk, but could
not rest. He inserted an advertisement
in Chicago paper asking information
regarding my grandmother and my
aunt. Between the 10Th and the last
of April, two years ago last spring, l
was in my home at Ashland, Saunders
County, Neb. l felt an impulse to read
the Chicago paper. The advertisement
attracted my eye. 1 was excited, and
told my husband to answer it, as | could
not. He did, and in few days received
an answer from my uncle stating that
was not his niece, as she had been
drowned. l then wrote letter to the
effect that if he had lost two fingers of
one hand, and-well, related cireum-
stances that made proofs positive. In
few days my long-lost uncle was at our
house. The meeting can be imagined.
Then followed explanations, stating that
my father was living and well in Beaver
Falls, Pa. l wrote my father, but re-
ceived an answer that / could not
surely be his daughter, as she had been
drowned twenty-three years ago. An
other letter told him of g Little Dallas"
a dead brother, and of other circum-
stances which made a clear case. About
three weeks ago 1 started for Beaver
Falls to find my long-lost father. l
have found him. have been married
several years. My husband is in the
grain business in Nebraska. Ny mother
mas been married the second time, but
is now widow. What the sequel viii
prove L will have to tell you at another
time, as we do not know yet what our
plans shall be-"
The family is highly respectable and
the story is no doubt strictly true, though
savoring more of romance than reality.
Cor. Chicago Tribune.