The morning call., 1894-06-30
BOTH SEARCHING,
A Mother and Daughter
Separated.
TWO VICTIMS OF THE FLOOD.
And the Question Now Is,
Where Is May ?'
TWO VICTIMS OF THE FLOOD.
MRS. LoNEY ASKS 1T IN VAIN
An Old Lady Who Was Shipped
Down From Seattle - Her
Daughter Had Gone.

1t seems impossible. in these days of
usually rapid communication, that two
people should seek one another as vainly
as Evangeline and Gabriel did in Longfel-
lows touching poem. There are couple
of victims of the Oregon floods, however,
who by a strange chapter of accidents
have lost all track of one another.
In a rooming-house on Kearny street is
gentle elderly lady wha looks vajnly in
the face of every young woman she meets
to see if it is that of her daughter Nay.
And somewhere is loving girl who has
lost her mother as mpetely as If the
earth had swallowed her up.
A few days ago Mrs. Lannigan Of 230
Kearny street was accOsted in a busy
thOroughfare by quiet, refned-looking
woman of about 30 years of age. The
stranger only asked to be directed to
certain street, but something pathetic
ana helpless in her manner arrested
kind-hearted Mrs. Lannigan's atten-
tion. She was neatly and well dressed,
though her gown and bonnet proclaimed
plainly that she was frOm the country,
indeed the grave little old lady looked as
IL she had never veutured out alone in a
big city before.
A few questions from Mrs. Lannigan
drew out the fact that the old lady, who
gave her name as Mrs. Loney, was looking
for her daughter May. "Where?" She
shook her head when asked This question.
The girl was in San Francisco, or else Los
Angeles. The mother would look in all
the employment Offices, in all the stores.
till she found her.
With some hesitation Mrs. Loney ad-
mitted that she was not staying anywhere
in San Francisco; she had left her room
hot inn knn oha had
money to pay the rent. And then Mrs.
Lannigan, convinced of the truth OF the
story, took the old lady TO her own home,
where she almost tainted from hnngeT. as
she afterward admitted.
Gradually Mrs. Loney told her history,
and so many small facts corrobOrated it,
that every one brought in contact with her
believed il.
Is appears that the old lady and her
daughter May owned a prosperous little
farm near Seattle. They had a comfort
able home, 800 head of cattle and num-
Der OF agricultural appliances. The floods
swept away everything, leaving them only
the bare soil, and they were obliged to rea-
liZe this In order to live at all.
May obtained some letters of introduce
tlon and came TO San Francisco in search
OF work, leaving her mother in the care of
some people whom they had benefited in
the days of their prosperity. The girl
wrote constantly, but work was hard to
ind. and she begged her mother to remain
in Seattle till some thing could be earned.
Meanwhile, however, tbs mothers funds
had given out and the people with whom
she was STAYING refused TO keep her day
without payment. They procured her
pass by steamer to San Francisco and put
her on board, saying 1t was Mays duty to
look after her, aud they had telegraphed
to the girl to meet her on the wharf
There was no May to meet the poor old
LII l.r.. ,ka.r wVa6 h -
ter was dazed by the noise ana confusion
of a bigger city than she had ever seen
and wandered hOpelessly about for hours,
till at last she reached the address on
Eleventh street that had been on all her
daughters letters. Here another disap-
pointment awaited her. The girl had gone
away, where no one knew, for she made
no confdanIs at the clearinghouse. With
her few remaining dollars Mrs. Loney
rented a room, and waited for news of
May. but.nODe came, and when her term
expired she set out to feVerishly hunt the
city alone for her daughter. Ii was in this
hopeless task that she was found by Mrs.
Lannigan.
When seen yesterday by CALL reporter
Mrs. Loney was just setting out for Elev-
enth street. 1T is pathetic TO see how she
is always DING there for news" said a
lady in the house. interested in the case.
Morning, noon and night she watches for
is in Los Angeles"
Yes, she said she would go there if she
did not get work here" said the old lady,
showing letter signed your devoted
daughter, May" which contained the SEN
tence: "If don't get work here soon 1
shall go to Los Angeles" IF she had only
stayed here she would have got the york."
added the mother sadly. 1.-TWO offers OF
it have come to Eleventh street since l got
there, a week ago. One was from a res
taurant as cashier"
Wont you take this carfare% asked
the lady.
NO" replied Mrs. Loney, with quiet
dignity, "Pd rather walk" And the sad
looking old lady hustled out of the room
as if to show her activity.
'She seems dazed by all her misfor-
tunes" said her friend. 1T is hard to
imagine any woman less able to take care
of herself. Why, she had lost her transfer
checks and had no idea where her trunk
was till We inquired around at the different
transfer companies and found II. She
cannot realize yet what it is to be poor and
dependent either, aud she longs to find
some work to do. l suppose she could
take care of children or-but after all the
problem is whore 10 find May"
And no doubt the problem Of where to
find her mother is agitating Mays mind.
CAUTION FOR HOUSEHOLDERS