Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1885-04-03

''sou 70 elude their captors and
SWIM to the vessel They were hearth
y welcomed on board, and, a strong
oreele setting in, the vessel foated
OH and continued her voyage. on
reaching the I alkland Isles they found |
an English vessel and took passage in
her for Bristol.
"on reaching England, Major went
TO London, but, in spite of the most /
dlhgent search, failed to find any trace
oi his wife and child. lie determined |
to return to Monteyideo, and, on
reaching there, began to speculate in
hides. He was successful and grew
rich, and believing that his wife must .
be dead, married again. One child
the youth mentioned already-was the
issue Of this marriage. After living
happily together for fifteen years, his
wife Sickened and died, and he resoly-
ed to return to England.
"'Now said the old man at this
point, i am going to tell you just what
happened to me, and it proves, think,
that truth is stranger than fiction.
"0When | reached London with my
son took rooms in Lambeth, over
looking the river. One day my son
went to the grocery to order some
trilles, and directed them to be sent TO
Mr., Major. at our address. The grocer
remarked that it was an uncommon
name, and said he only remembered
having met with it once before. My
son asked where that was, and the
grocer replied that a widow named
k<sar and her little boy boarded fol
= kne time WIN mis- mother, and tha
slbe afterward married the curate o
tie neighboring church and left the
neiyhborhood.
Naturally enough, when my son
returned home, said the old gentle
man, 'he told me what had happened.
My son knew nothing Of my former
marriage, and so, saying nothing tc
him, went to see the grocer. l found
that the Mrs. Major he knew had lost
her husband at sea. and that her first
name was Antoinette Agnes, the name
of my wife. inquired from several
clergymen, and finally ascertained that
the curate, whose name was Naylor
had been appointed to living al
Withersea, in Yorkshire / came tC
Hull and made further inquiries, and
soon felt satisfied that my former wife
and my son were indeed living. l in
trusted Robert here my younger son,
with the story, and dispatched him to
communicate with his brother. He
did SO successfully without arousing
suspicion, and in consequence l beheld
my dear boy once more
We'll, thought /, this may be very
pretty story, but it is very certain that
1t has nothing to do with Margaret,
and | had better look in another direc-
ton. | had encouraged the idea that
John had certainly gone off with Mar
garet and had her in hiding some
where, but now it vanished, and | re-
solved to be off. | returned to Abing-
don and began afresh. l thought the
the matter over thoroughly-what a
lool | am! 1t was clear now as day
light The young fellow Simms was
lover in disguise. and he and Marga-
ret had eloped. l made a circuit to
hnd the direction taken by the young
couple. could learn nothing of them.
\ young fellow someyhat answering
the description of Simms had been
seen on the evening of September 10th
going toward Withersea, but no one
was with him. | spent two DAYS
trudging through the country was
young fellow then-but all in vain.
Ihen | hurried my steps once more
toward Abingdon. There was a frown
On the farmers face when l met him.
\ ou're a pretty fellow he said, "a
nice one to be a detective. You'll do
lor London, perhaps. but you're no
good for the country where the peo-
pie are smart. Look at that
lie held out letter. | laid hold
OF it and read it. shall never forget
what was in it as long as live. 1t
ran thus:
",No, 81 John St., Hull, Sept. "a.
DEAREST FATHER: l am married
~ 70 John Major and we are very happy.
y e are coming to see you morrow
about three o'clock.
"'Your loving daughter,
MARGARET MAJOR
=, How did I feel? Can't you guess ?
Hay' OF course, I'd been done-regu-
i'fiy done. l was there when the
couple arrived and the old man re-
'elEed his daughter with open arms,
'nd shook John heartily by the hand.
we are coming to live with you,
'"'aeF' Margaret said. and John is
gong to manage the farm for you, and
as s'e going 70 have that nice young