The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1883-06-21
THE MAN WHO DESERTED HIS
FAMILY FOR A QUARTER
OF A CENTURY.

The story of John Henuse, who
turned up 10 Reading, Pa, day or
two after an absence of twenty five
years, which was briefly mentioned
in the Times, is in many respects
highly interesting and remarkable.
When be disappeared Henuse had a
wife and several children, the young
est of whom, Mary, then three
months old, is now married to we'll
to>do Penn street merchant, Angus
tus ROLAND. Mrs Henuse heard
nothing of her husband until soon
after the late war had begun, when
she received letter announcing that
he had been conscripted into the
rebel army. Nothing more was
heard from him and the husband and
father was mourned as dead.
On Tuesday bronzed and wealth.
erbeaten man of sixty.five registered
at the Berks County House. He
wore long hair that fell upon his
shoulders in curls and bis ears were
adorned with gold rings. His auto
graph in the register read: John
Hangus Achikle, Va" 1t was the
same John who disappeared quar-
ter of century ago, seized with
logging to once more sec his wife
and children. He learned that they
we're still living, his wife being com
fortably located at No. 232 South
Ninth street and his children mar
ried. The meeting between the
loug-separated couple was not a
gushing one. There we're no tears
of joy and no clinging 10 fond en-
brace, bat nevertheless the prodigal
husband was cordially greeted when
he had established his identity.
Then he visited his youngest
daughter, Mrs. ROLAND. That lady
was engaged at her household duties
yesterday when she was suddenly
confronted by a strange man.
Your name is Mary, said he,
breaking a short silence and advanc-
ing, a step or two.
Yes, that is my name,' answered
Mrs. ROLAND cycling her strange
visitor suspiciously. What can |
do for your
Il am your father, Mary, who left
you when you were a babe three
months old. Am quite forgotten p
And tears came to the old mans
eyes as he leaned against the coun-
ter sud gazed at his daughter. Mrs.
hollands first impulse was to sum,
mon assistance, for she feared the
man was demented, but he stopped
her and soon convinced her that his
story was true and related to her his
past life.
To a correspondent of the Times
Henuse told his story. He said
when be left Reading he went to
Virginia. Here, when the war broke
out, be was forced into the rebel
army, and when on the march to
Gettysburg haescaped, but was res
captured and placed on board war
vessel. He again escaped and made
his way westward, only to be cap
tured by the hostile Indians. For a
time was kept a close prisoner, but
eventually he adopted their habits
and mode of life and was looked upon
as a member of the tribe. He lived
with bis red brethren fifteen years,
and during that time learned several
dialects. Then came yearning for
the home of his youth. He babe his
savage friends farewell, went to
France, and after a brief sojourn
there returned to America via Cuba.
Then | came to Reading sorrows
fully concluded the aged adventurer,
'and will leave again as quietly as
came. The city is strange to me,
the people are all strange, and even
my own family do not seem to re-
cognize me. | will leave for the
South. | have friends there And
he kept his word, for he left as sud
denly as be came, not even bidding
bis wife and children FAREWELL
Philadelphia Times.