The Osceola times., 1882-09-02
INTRODUCED TO HIS son.
A Father Meets His Fifty- -Year-Old Child
for the First Time at Funeral.
philade lphia Record

philadelphia Record.
A strange thing happened at Frederick
station, in Montgomery county, Pa, a
few days ago. Aaron Bout, well-to-do
trucker, of the neighborhood, a hale old
man of 80, was introduced to his father,
a rich old merchant Of 20, who lives on
Hess street, in this city. Neither knew
that the other was alive. Although they
have been residing within two hours
ride of each other fol- quarter of cent
ury this was the first time they had seen
each other, and thereby hangs a tale.
Fifty years ago the father was a well
known horse jockey in Montgomery
county and lived near Frederick. He
was crack rider across country and the
most popular horseman to be found in
the radius of fifty miles At all county
fairs young Bout was authority on all
matters pertaining to horse flesh, and
none dared dispute his opinions. He
was perfect daredevil in the saddle,
and no one could manage the ribbon of a
four-in-hand as gracefully as he. At 20
he went off with a circus, and in few
months his son was born. He did not
return to Frederick until the day, fifty
years after, when father and son first
met face to face. The mother had died
and the father supposed that the son had
also died. But while the one was roam
ing the earth leading an adventurer's
life, the boy grew to manhood and to mid
die age. After many years of wandering
and when he had been lost to family and
friends in Montgomery, Bout, the elder,
married and settled down in this city,
and became domestic man of business,
accumulated property and became the
head of numerous family. His last
child is now but two years old, and was
born when the father reached the ripe
old age ofsixty-eight. There are twenty
four other children, not including the
upposed-to-be-dead first born, all of
them alive. In the meantime, Aaron
Bout, jr., had lived an uneventful life,
had married, bought little farm and
also reared family Of children. One
day Mrs. George Bilger, of this city, who
was a relative of Mr.. Bout, died and was
taken to Frederick to be buried. Among
the mourners was the father, and in the
company at the church was the son.
Neither was aware of the others name
or identity. An old patriarch of the
neighborhood met Bout, sr He had
known him when both were boys, and
was amazed to find him alive. Falling
back in the funeral procession he took
the son aside.
"Come," said he, 81 will introduce you
to your father"
"My father cried the astonished man.
Impossible! ] have no father. He is
dead"
"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
bewidered, were in a long and warm
embrace. For hours the two sat close
together under the friendly shelter Of a
neighbor's vine-clad porch, all uncon-
scious of the curious gaze of the country
folks who had attended the funeral.
The son, who had been to Philadelphia
but once in his life, was pressed to pay
a visit to his fathers house on Hess
street, above Twelfth, and when the crops
have been harvested on the Frederick
hills there will be another meeting in
this city.