Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1891-06-18
FORTUNE For \ MISSING HEIR.
A Scion of Southern Family Who Wa
Cast on for Wedding Poor Girl.

~
Cast on for Wedding Poor Girl.
romantic story of the disinherited
scion of one of the most aristocratic OF
South Carolina families, which contains
the elements OF the popular tale OF fiction,
with the thread lost in San Francisco, has
Just come TO light.
The Lees of South Carolina trace their
ancestry back for couple of centuries.
One OF their great-grandfathers planted ms
cotton seed and tobacco with the pioneers
of the Carolinas. Each generation added
TO the family possessions, until thirty years
ago the possessions Of the Lee estate ex-
tended for miles on either side of the old
family manor house and the planter count
cd his slaves with three ciphers. Then the
war came. The Lee gold was contributed
generously and the Lee blood flowed freely
in the cause of the Confederacy.
When the end came the Lees, though
their magnificent estate had been sadly dl-
minished, found themselves still rich, but,
crushed by the failure of the cause Tor
which they had sacrificed so much, they
retired to their country home and lived in
the exclusiveness of the little world en-
compassed by the boundaries of their
plantation. The years went on, and ID.
McIOrQ Lee, lut ciuccO SUI anu thN hSPN
of the family, grew to manhood. There
was great future intended for the hand
some boy, and money was spent favishly IN
his education.
All went well until he met and loved
pretty Gretchen Flemming, young Ger
man maiden of the neighborhood. who had
nothing but her beauty and warm heart
TO exchange for the patrician name and
wealth of her sutton. Young McCord told
his father of his attachment for the lowly
child of the people, and there was scene.
The elder Lee stormed, but TO no purpose.
The son was obstinate and refused TO yield
to family prejudice. There were stolen
meetings and delicious rambles for months
until McCord, finding he could never gain
his fathers consent, boldly married the
girl in the little village church. The mes
alliance was the last straw 70 the family
pride of the Lees. The son was disin.
herited by his father, and the doors Of his
childhood home were closed upon him for
ever.
y bSung Lee determined to make a start
in the world for himself. and with his
young wife, came to San Francisco. That
was twelve years ago. Finely educated,
but totally unsuited to the ordinary WAYS
of gaining livelihood, the struggle for ex-
istence was hard Then domestic troubles
began, and the home of the young couple
was far from happy. Four years ago a
separation was agreed upon, Mrs. Lee re-
turning to Germany, where she soon after
died
D During all Of these years not word had
passed between the estranged son and any
member OF his family. The father kept
well his word, and the son was too proud
to seek a reconciliation.
After the separation from bis wife Lee
disappeared, leaving no clew by which his
future could be traced. a few days ago a
lady of this city, who has been intimate
with the family since her childhood, re-
ceived letter from the missing man 3
brother In South Carolina stating that the
father and mother had died, leaving the
estate to the children, and asking that the
lady should make every effort to ascertain
the whereabouts of ID. McCord Lee.-San
Francisco Chronicle