The Richmond climax. (Richmond, Ky.) 1897-1914, 1899-10-25
A Brother Long Supposed Ic be Dead Dir.
covered Alive in Distant State.

A most remarkable occurrence has
just come to light in this county,
whereby a sister and brother who
became separated during the civil war,
have been restored to each other.
Each supposed the other dead. the
long night of silence and separation
having siifled the last ray of hope of
their meeting this side the grave.
Mrs. Thos. P. Dudley, of Waco. this
county, was, previous to her marriage,
a Miss Gentry, her father being Or.
Gentry. long since deceased. AT the
outbreak of the civil war in 81, the
family was broken NJ. the three sons,
Flavius, Napoleon and DR.. Gentry, Jr.,
taking up arms for the South. There
and then ceased all knowledge of the
whereabouts of the three brothers
Her parents died and Miss Gentry was
united marriage to Mr.. It. P. Dudley, of
this county, brother Of the distinguish
ed and beloved President of George
town College, DR.. r 81. Dudley, de-
ceased.
About one year ago Mrs Dudley saw
in the Courier Journal, an announce
ment that an old Confederate soldier
in Southern State, had in his posses
sion a volume of Shakespeare that he
had taken off the corpse Of comrade
who fell in the battle of Missionary
Ridge, and on the fly leaf was the sig
nature, "Dr. Gentry" Mrs. Dudley at
once wrote to the gentleman for the
book, but the latter demanded some
proof OF her identity as the sister OF the
dead soldier, whereupon she sent a
faded letter received before the war
from her soldier brother. The copy of
Shakespeare was immediately forwarded
to her, and the precious book, hallowed
by the touch of her beloved dead. is in
possession of the Dudley family at
Waco.
Thus the first link in the chain of
youth and home and loved ones, shat
tered by war, was discovered. although
instead of being the long lost compan-
ion and brother in person, buoyant with
life, the link was only faded leaves.
The second and most Interesting
chapter in this rudely told narrative
opened two weeks ago in the Republic
Of Mexico. Mrs. Dudley is there visit
ing two of her sons, Messrs. r. NJ. and
James, who are engaged in railroad
building. While dining with her sons,
aud relating the pathetic story above, a
waiter brought in can of oysters and
placed it near Mrs. Dudley. On the
label were the trademark and the
name, "FIavius Gentry" With a cry
the mother pointed to the label aud
would have swoOned away had not the
sons caught her as she sank backward
in her chair. When Mrs. Dudley had
sufficiently recovered she explained that
the name on the label was the same as
that of another lOng-lost brother, whom
she had given up as dead. Her SONS at
once wrote to the factory. somewhere on
the coast OF the Mexic Gulf. and
speedy reply was received that he.
Flavius Gentry, was the same brother
who had left his old Kentucky home
in the early COS. followed the Bonny
Blue Flag. and drifted toward the sea. !
Here he had passed thirty years Of his
life in the firm belief that all his people |
were dead. lie was OverjOyed to know
that the little sister whom he had |
kissed a farewell that had seemed as
long as eternity itself, was alive and !
well, and urgently invited her to visit
him. This Mrs. Dudley resolved to do,
and ere this, doubtless, the two have
met and held joyful reunion.
Who would not like to gaze for
moment upon such a scene, and feel
the ecstasy of pain and delight that
must have been the portion of the long
separated brother and sister. who in the |
twilight of life are spared each to be-
hold face that absence nor separation
had effaced from memory? Oft per
haps during the cruel war this stanza
burned lis letters upon their loving
young hearts:
20 memory. thou lingering murmurer
in life's broken shell.
Die thou, since all else is dead i
loved 90 we'll" C.E.W,