Omaha daily bee., 1896-06-19
ROMANCE OF AN OLD NAN
Finds a Long Lost Child After q Remark
able Journey.
SEARCH EXTENDED OVER MANY STATES
Located ut Last when the Indications
We're thut the OBJECT of the
Fathers March would
Never lie Found.

nolia, Ia, reached Council BUNS yeSter-
day after completing n journey Of over loo
miles with a team of horses. The trip was
the last of a series aggregating thousands
of miles Of weary travelling with horses and
wagons and twenty years OF time. The
last trip also accomplished the object Of the
great pilgrimage, the discovery of the
mans only daughter, from whom he was
separated when the child was only c weeks
old.
The story of the old man reads like one
Of Eugene Sues romances. He reached the
city yesterday afternoon in n light spring
wagon, to which he had attached a folding
cover, that could be laid back in fair
weather and which afforded protection in
bad weather and at nights. His team
was a pair of thoroughbred bronchos. In
1871 the man was living with his family
in Pueblo, Colo. The family consisted of
his wife and three children. the youngest
a babe of six weeks. The family originally
came from Buffalo, n. Y, and
the wife's father and mother had
accompanied them to their new
western home. The wifc's health was
very poor, and she conceived the idea that
she could not live unless she returned to
the old New York home. The husband
rugged up n team and wagon and took her
and the two older children on the long
journey, leaving the babe with its grand
parents. Shortly after reaching Buffalo
the woman died and the husband remained
there for five years. During the time he
married again. Letters had been ex-
changed regularly until this event took
place. then he heard no more from his
father-in-law's family. Every effort to
find them by writing letters failed, ana
finally yielding to the intense desire to
see his child and the influence of the west
ern fever that was burning In his veins.
he started west with his new wife and
family. They came as far west as Mag
nolia, and he made a home for them there.
and continued his journey westward in
search of his child. He went to Pueblo
and found that the family had long since
moved further west and not a trace of them
could be found. He spent months hunting
through the mountain towns without find
ing anything that would encourage him
to believe that any of them were even
alive.
He returned to his Iowa home and for a
year or two devoted himself to business.
Investments made in land proved very
profitable, and when his affairs were in such
a condition that he could leave he again
went on a pilgrimage and travelled through
several mountain states in the vain quest
for his daughter. This was repeated sew
eral times, with the same result. Last
year he realized that he was getting old
and would soon be unable to travel. His
property had increased until 1t was very
valuable. His family had grown up and
it's members were prosperous and happy.
and the only thing that marred the old
mans happiness was the unsatisfied yearn-
ing for the little blue-syed babe he had
parted with in the mountain city twenty
four years ago.
Thousands of letters had been written,
but they were ell returned by the Post
office department. His wife urged him to
make one more effort. He concluded to
do so, but chung to the idea that the only
way to find the child was to travel over
the country in a wagon. and ask for her of
all persons he met on the road. Last July
he left Council Bluffs with the rig with
which he returned yesterday. He drove
direct to Cripple Creek, and then to Fort
Garland, Del Norte and afterward to all
of the new mining camps in the state,
but the eternal question never was an
swered. No one knew the Bowen's, which
was the name of his wife's family.
At Ouray last spring he received the first
clew. There he found a man who told him
that his wife's father had died and his
widow had married again a man named
John II. Spaulding. The search was then
commenced for Spaulding. The spectacle
of the little gray old man piteously asking
for his daughter or her step
grandfather, Spaulding, became ia
miliar to thousands of people.
Finally he was directed to a blacksmith
~ at Wv Noo odiI W NC
personally acquainted with every man within
100 miles. Lashner hunted him and learned
that Spaulding's own daughter was living
fourteen miles away in the country. The
old man neither ate nor slept until he
reaching the place. There he found that his
daughter was living at Saquache, ifty-eight
miles away, and was married to a man
named William Goodacker. Without wait
ing to even eat a meal at the house, he
started for saquache. When he reached
there he found his daughter and her hus-
band had moved five days previously to a
point $50 miles north of Quray, He con-
tinued his journey, often urging his
horses to seventy-five miles a day.
In course of time he reached the little
town Of Ridgeway and found that his
daughter was living near by. He learned
that she had married a good man and had
two children, and was then just moving into
her new home. He carried with him as a
means of making himself known, an old
photograph of the girls mother and some
pictures of the other two children, with
their names written beneath them. His
description of how he introduced himself
is very graphic.
The young woman recognized the pic
ture OF the mother and Immediately pulled
form a box of household goods the COM
panion to 1t, and his own in the same
frame. The old man remained only a few
days and then stared on his long trip to
his Iowa home. His daughters husband
had located a mine. and during a period of
six days just before he left, had taken out
81 100 in gold.
Lashner reached Council Bluffs yesterday
afternoon healthy and happy. with a wagon
load of curiosities, and a fund of stories
that were intensely interesting.
The attractions this week at Grand Plaza
are the Ladies' band, Prof, Dezell, with his
diorama and lecture, and Madame Dezell,
the female baritone. The large crowds at
tending this entertainment always go home
pleased.
All butcher shops will close at $50
Sunday morning. June 81, 1896, on account
of the butchers picnic.
Wanted, a first class sewing machine
salesman for city and county work. Ad-
dress J. 7. Findly, 3S7 Broadway.
Lake Manawa trains only stop at 3, s, 7,
., 10, 10, and % avenues.
Wac ~ burglar In the House.
The residence of +. ]. Schnorr, at 1876
Benton street, was entered by a burglar
Yesterday afternoon, but his presence in the
house was observed before he had time to
accomplish the object of his errand. Mrs.
Schnorr left during the forenoon for a visit
OF several days duration with friends at
Nicola, and the house was locked up while