Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1899-05-13

Sailors pluckeu up courage uuu loWe"
back. The three Crusoes were then
taken into the boat and rowed out to
the ship, whose captain at once prom
Used to take them back to Sydney
(lS56). He was as good as his word,
aud S'lythe and his companions in
misfortune were landed in that port.
1t was we'll for Smythe that he had
taken the precaution of having his
money sent to England by the bank
officials, otherwise it is only right to
believe he would have lost it with the
sinking of the Western Star, and been
thrown on his own resources for
bare living again. AS it was, though,
he still had his snug little fortune in
the bank, and was able to draw upon
it. He purchased n complete outfit,
which he wanted very badly, for he
had come away from among the savages
without even a shirt to his back, and
once more he booked his passage to
England. this time in the steamship
I Great Britain. She was bound for
Liverpool-Smythes native place
with cargo, passengers, and specie.
After pleasant voyage of nearly two
months she came i'll sight OF Old Eng
land QS5T, and now the most extra
ordinary misfortune Of all befell our
luckless hero.
Smythe's reason actually became
unhinged at the sight of the shores OF
his native land, the thoughts of all he
had gone through, and the bitter re-
Election that he had never once writ
ten to his wife since he sent her that
$1,000 some years previously. The
unfortunate man went raving mad,
aud the captain of the Great Britain
had to place him in confinement. On
the ships arrival in Liverpool he was
handed over to the care of the police,
who, after making futile inquiries for
any of his relatives, eventually sent
him to Rainhill Lunatic Asylum, out
side Liverpool.
We will now, with the readers per-
mission, leave Smythe in the asylum,
and 60 back to his wife. She had
long since given up the brokers' estab-
lishment and left the old locality, hav-
ing removed to Aigburth. Here she
made the acquaintance of Captain Jose
Diaz, who was the master OF the
/ Spanish steamship Porto Rico. In the
iull belief that her husband was dead,
Mrs. Smytle married Captain Diaz,
and Il child was born, a son, who was
christened Charles. Meanwhile, Mag
gle Smythe, her daughter by her first
husband, had grown to be Il woman,
and received several offers of mar
riage, which, however, she declined.
In 1862, Mrs. Smythes second hus-
hand, Diaz, lost his life by drowning
in the Coburg Dock, and, curious to
relate, it was i'll 1862 that the long
lost husband and father, Smythe, was
discharged, perfectly cured, from the
asylum.
The unfortunate man paid an early
visit to his bankers, and, having easily
proved his identity, learned he was
entitled to the very tidy fortune of
SD5, 900. During the several years he
had been immured in the asylum his
original account had been steadily ac-
cumulating by means of compound in
trrest. He now sought his wife and
daughter, but could find no trace of
them. The old home knew no more,
and no one in the neighborhood could
be expected to be cognizant of their
whereabouts, seeing the long time
that had elapsed since their residence
there.
Smythe, however, spared neither
efforts nor money to find his loved
ones, but without success. He was
ut length obliged to abandon the quest,
and settled down quietly into private
lite, taking house, which, rs it hap
pened, was situated within less than
half mile from the door of those he
never expected to see again on this
side of the grave. But most strange
and incomprehensibl are the work
ings and ways of the Almighty. In
such extraol binary condolences, as
the one we are now about to relate,
we easily trace His guiding hand.
John Smythe, one Sunday morning
IN 1868, attended early Divine service
ut st. Nicholas Church, and, among
the several wedding parties present,
he was particularly struck with the
face of one of the brides. Somehow,
he thought it strangely familiar, and
this idea grew SO strongly upon him,
that he determined to wait and ascer
tain her name. Lingering until after
the service, he was gratitied by hear
ing the names of the respective par
ties called out by the officiating min
lister, and presently heard the names,
Margaret Merrydew Smythe and John
Baxter, pronounced. simultaneously
c wild cry rang through the church,
and the fall Of n heavy body was heard.
The sudden revelation was too much
for the poor old man, and he had
tainted away.
He was carried into the vestry by
those around him. and restored to
consciousness, when he quickly made
his identity known. His daughter
amazement and delight can be bet
ter imagined than described, we
think, at this unlocked fol
reunion with father she had so long
mo,lrned as dead; aud we venture to
say that more dramatic incident
than their meeting would not be found
in the pages OF the most sensational
romancist.
Maggie Smythe took back with hel
from her wedding not only husband,
but g-lost father as we'll. We will
pass over the meeting between that
husband and wife, who had not looked
upon one another's faces for so many
years.
John Smythe and his helpmate,
Hannah, both lived to good old age,
and their daughter, Mrs. Baxter, is II
happy wife and mother in Liverpool
at this moment-or perhaps, / had
better say she was, for it is some
years since 1 first learned the story
have recorded above.
Charles Diaz, the half.Spanish step
| con of tho old sailor ,rnsop ia now an