The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-11-15
AFTER FIFTY YEARS
Enos B. Reed, the Septuagenary
Editor, Has a Singular Story.
His Son, a Man Almost Fifty Years Old,
Calls for His Father, Whom He
Has Never Seen.

Yesterday afternoon a stylishly-dressed
man, of perhaps fifty years of age, called
at the People office and inquired for Enos
s. Reed, the white-haired editor of that
paper. The inquirer was a stranger to
those In the office. They noticed that he
wore diamonds and that the general ap-
pearance Of his dress proclaimed him to be
a man in well-to-do circumstances. Mr..
Reed, the stranger was informed, was
bedridden at his home on North East
street, having been unable to make his
daily appearance at the office for five or
six weeks. The stranger manifested much
concern in the aged editors condition.
asked for his address and promised to
call on him at once. For a few moment
the gentleman fingered at the office. and,
entering into a conversation with one of
the attaches, told this singular story in a
few words:
'I am the son of Mr.. Reed, but I have
never seen him. / was born after a sepa-
ration between him and his first wife. my
mother. This separation was nearly half a
century ago and 1 have yet to look upon
the face of my sire"
No one about the Office knew that Mr..
Enos b. Reed had been married twice,
and the story was not only a strange one,
but a revelation to them. The gentleman
sent for a mack and left the office, ostensi-
bly, for his fathers residence at the corner
of East and New York streets.
At a late hour last night the son had not
visited the father whom he had never seen.
A reporter conveyed the first news to the
editor tina his son was in the city. Mr..
Reed was first inclined to doubt 1t, yet he
admitted that it must be true, for no one
IN the city besides himself and his pres
ent wife knew of the son whom the father
had never seen. 1t was strange that the
son did not come to the house. The prop
erty in which Mr.. Reed lives is the old
McOuat place, al old homestead that not
many years ago sat back among an or
chard of apple trees. Year after year heaps
of dirt marked the foundations for modern
houses in the old orchards, and after
awhile the little old frame was hemmed
in on nearly every side by houses, with
only a narrow passage way leading from
New York street up to the front porch. 1t
is no more on a corner, and 1t may that
the son was unable to find the house. Yet
all the %neighbors know Enos B. Reed.
Mr.. Reed was lying in bed. writing
copy by the light of a. lamp at his bed
side when he was informed of the sons ap-
pearance. he ola not understand the
story about the son appearing suddenly,
his. son lived in the city. and had been for
all. yes. now he understood.
"Oh, / know OF whom you speak," said
he. as a shade came over his brow; You
mean my son by my first wife. 1t is true,
l have never seen him, although L have
occasionally heard Of him. / understand he
is in the drug business in Louisville. His
name is Charles Reed, l believe. / am sur
prised that he has not reached here if he
started for my home, as you say he did.
81 do not like to speak Of my first mar
riage, although there is nothing of which I
am ashamed. 1t was so long ago and L
was a mere boy at the time. l was working
in Cincinnati at the time / met the mother
of this man. / was only twenty years of
age and she was not much older. she was
very pretty, l remember after these fifty
years. I was fascinated, like a boy natur-
ally becomes at the sight OF a pretty race.
We were married, but We only lived to-
gether a few weeks, scarce a month. Then
we separated. The child was born after our
| separation and after the day she left saw
of the child, but when I tried to see him at
Louisville afterward, they evaded me. A
divorce was procured and the mother L UNI
derstand married a wealthy man years
after this. Then | lost trace of the mother
and son. 1 came to Indianapolis over twen-
tv-four years ago and established The Peo-
pie which / still edit. Then L married hap
PLY. That early marriage was an unfor-
! recall. No one knew of 1t in indianapolis,
I believe. except my present wife and my
self. I have within the last few years re-
ceived letters from the wife OF this son by
her letters she is an educated lady. They
| have a child. That is all there is of it."
1t may be that Mr.. Reed will receive a
visit from this son to-day; II he does, II
tears to the eyes OF this veteran OF the
press.