Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1881-01-27
LOST SON REcovERED.
His Whereabouts Disclosed In Dream
"A. Remarkable Story.

About eighteen months ago the four
een-years-old son OF policeman Mark
Lawrence Of the Second Precinct, Jersey
City. n. j., suddenly disappeared and in
spite Of every effort made to discover his
whereabouts, no tidings of him could be
obtained. The Journal says that 1t was
at first thought that he had been drown
ed or kidnapped, but these suPPositsons
were at length dispelled, and the bereay-
ed parents settled down to the belief that
the boy had gone away voluntarily, infiu-
enced by some visionary idea OF seeking
his fortune alone and unaided.
They still, however, niourned for him.
almost as one dead, hsrassed by the
doubt and mystery that surrounded his
disappearance. With this troubling hi.
mind the father lay down to sleep few
days ago, he sleeping in the day time. as
he is on duty at night, and while asleep
he dreamed as he alleges, he saw his long
lost son on board a canal boat lying at
the Long dock, and that the name of the
captain of the boat was Hoffman. On
awakening, the dream was so impressed
upon his mind that it appeared a reality,
and he at once proceeded to the dock and
made inquiry for captain Hoffman, and
was informed that a canal boat having a
captain of that name had been | sing there,
but day or two before had gone to Perth
Amboy, and also that boy was on the
boat, who answered the description of his
son.
Officer Lawrence then informed Chief
Murphy of what he had dreamed, and as.
certained that the latter, more to satisfy
Lawrence than from placing any faith in
the efficacy of the dream, telegraphed to
Perth Amboy, making inquiry for captain
Hoffman, and received an answer that
the latter had been there, but had sold
his boat and gone to his home in Ulster
county, New York, taking with him a
boy who was in his semploy.
On the receipt of this information
Lawrence wrote letter to Captain Hoff-
man, describing his son, and asking if
such boy was with him. On Friday
morning Mrs. Lawrence, in the absence
of her husband, received the Captains
reply, stating that the boy who had been
with him on the canal boat was
TTNDOIrRTEDIy Turrp CON
but.that he was now living with a neigh
boring farmer. The following day Mrs.
Lawrence started for that place, and on
arriving there was overjoyed to find that
the canal boat boy was indeed her long
missing son, and the joy Of the boy on
seeing his mother was equally great. She
found that he had a comfortable home on
a farm. was going to school and making
rapid progress in his studies. His teach
sr begged that he might be allowed to re.
main one week longer, when he would
receive adiploma.
That time being so short to what had
passed since his disappearance, she final
ly consented, and returned home with
the joyful news to her husband, who did
not until herreturn know she had gone.
The boy gave for his reason for leaving
home that he had played truent from
school and stayed out late at night and
was afraid his father would whip him.
At the end of another week he will re-
turn to his home, bringing happin ess and
joy to his parents, and in this case, at
least, proving the efficacy of dream.