The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-07-17
INTRODUCED TO MS son.
A Father Meets His sfiny.Year.Oid Child
for the First Time, at n Funeral fU

ioF ihe first Time. Mt Funeral.
PHILADELPHIA, July IL A strange thirg
happened at Frederick Station, In Mou,.
gomery county, Pennsylvania, few da, /
ago. Aaron Bout, well.to.do trucker ol
the neighborhood, a hale old man Of tifly,
was introduced to his father, Aaron Bout, a
rich old merchrnt Of seventy, who lives { n
l1eas street, in this city. Neither knew ths,
the other was alive. Although they have
been residing within two hours' ride ei
eacn other for n quarter OF century this
was the first time they had ever seen each
other, and thereby hangs n tale. Fifty
years ago the father WAS well.knowi,
horse jockey in Montgomery county,
and lived near Frederick. lie wa,
n crack rider across country, and
the most popular hoscman to be found
in the radius OF fifty miles. At aIl the
county fairs young Bout was authority on
all matters pertaining to horsenesh, and
none dared dispute his opinion. He was II
perfect daredevil in the saddle, and no one
could manage the ribbons OF four.in.band
as gracefully rs he. At twenty he wen, off
with circus, and in few months his iirst
son was born. He did not return to Fred.
erick until the day, fifty years after, when
father and son fist met face TO face. The
mother had died and the father supposed
the son lad nlso died. hut while the one
was roaming tho earth, leading nh adven.
turers life, the boy grew TO manhood, and
to middle age. After many years OF wan.
dering, and when he had been lost 10 fam.
ily and friends in Montgomery, Bout the
elder, married and settled in this
city, and became a domestic man
OF business. accumulated property,
and became the head OF nu.
merous family. His last child is now but
two years old, and was born when the ia.
ther had reached the ripe old age OF sixty.
eight. There are twcnty.iour other child.
ren, not including the supposed. o.be.dead
first born, all oil them alive. In the mean.
time. Aaron Bout, Jr., had lived an event.
!ul life, had married, bought little farm,
and also reared family Of children. One
day Mrs. George Rilgur, OF this ci;y, who
was relstive OF Mr.. Bout, died, and was
taken to Frederick to be buried. Among
the nlonrners was the father, and in The
company at the church was the son. Nei.
ther were aware OF the others name or
identity. An old patriarch OF the neigh.
borhood met Bout, Sr. lie had known
him when both were loys, and wss amazcd
to find him alive. Falling back in the
funeral procession hc took the son aside.
Come" said he, Il will Introduce you to
your father"
".iy father" cried out the astonishcd
man.
: "No, no." replied his friend, "he is here.
Come with me-"
In few moments the father Of seventy
and the SON OF fifty years, each somewhat
hewildered, were in long end warm EN-.
brace. For hours the Two sat close tose,l..
er under the friendly shade of Il neishGor's
tvine-clsd porch, all unconscious Of the cur.
ionS gaze OF the country folks who had at.
tended the funeral.
The sou, who had been in PHILADELPHIA
but once in his life, was pressed TO pay a
visit 10 his iathcr's house on IIeas Street,
above Twelfth, and when the crops have
been harvested on the Frederick hills
there will be another meeting in this city.