The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-01-19
RETURNS AFTER TWENTY-FIVE YEARS
william Churchill, of Indian Tern"
tory. Surprises His Friends.

William A. Churchill. who left this
section twenty-five years ago, at .ne
age of seventeen, has returned TOT the
first time. He is a son OF Mr. ana Mrs'
Abram Churchill. of Lenoxville, brother
to Mrs ID. X. Lee, of THIS clty' anu
to c. Churchill of Philadelphia, VINO
was formerly associated with Dr. Hahu
at Scranton and who some years ago
conducted a mercantile business In
Carbondale.
In his youth the westerner became
desirous of seeing the country ana ne
went to Texas. He was not heard from
until about two years after his de-
parture Since that time letters have
been received at irregular intervals.
Through an elder brother, w. Il.
Churchill, of Elkdale, he was induced
to come east. No one had been in
formed of his coming. however, ana
when he made himself known to his
sister. on Belmont street. sunday
morning. there was genuine surprise IN
the Lee household.
lis this where ID. X. Lee liVes?' he
inquired as hisb sister opened the door
in response to his knock. yes. won't
you step inside?' was the calm reply
she would make to a similar interro-
CATION from any stranger. Il am your
brother. Willie; don't you know me,
he continued, as she began to recog-
nize the features of her youthful
brother, who unceremoniously departed
quarter of century ago.
From a brown-haired, seventeen
year old sapling he had developed into
a stalwart oak of six feet or more. His
hair had deepened in color to jet
black and the moustache that adorned
his face had entirely changed his APP
pearance. His speech and mannerisms
were those of people differing much
from Pennsylvanians, and the situation
was indeed a strange one.
After a few hours visit preparations
were made to have him meet his aged
parents at the old homestead in LenoN-
VILE, eleven miles from this city. Every
thing along the route seemed changed
to Mr.. Churchill. Even the hills which
form this valley, he said, seem to be
closer together. He remembered the
old mill pond in which he once fell,
through the ice, but his fathers farm,
upon which an immense orchard had
been grown since he left, didn't look
natural
Then they came in view of the old
modelled and had little left to mark it
the abode of Mr. Churchill in his child
hood days. The old barn and wood
shed appeared somewhat as he remem-
bered them. Finally came the meet
ing of son and aged parents. They
hadn't the slightest inklng of his
home coming and he was ushered into
their presence without "a moments no.
tice. The mother recognized him i'm an
instant, but the father said, How do
you do. SIR" in his customary formal
and dignified manner. 1t required some
minutes careful scrutiny for him to
trace the facial lineament and con-
vince himself that the man ne beheld
was really his son. After he became
satisfied, he said the black hair, which
was of sandy shade in youth, was all
that made him hesitate.
The meeting occurred on the fathers
seventy-sixth birthday. Mrs. Church.
i'll is about seventy-four Another re-
markable thing in this connection il
the fact that just twenty-five years tc
the day, after ID. X. Lee brought Mrs
Churchill to this city to see his first
boy baby. he took her boy--the baby OF
the family-from this city to LenoX.
vile to see her.
Mr.. William Churchill has wife and
five children-four daughters and sor
the Oldest of whom is ten years, com
fortaDly situated on an immense farm
in India Territory, near NARROW. Ht
expects TO remain in this part of the
country about a month. Before he re-
turns he will probably he visited by hi.
eldest brother, c. Churchill, of Phila
delphia