Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-07-19
LEVIN oAVENOER'S WHEREABOUTS.
The Esther Overioyed to Know That His
Z Bon is Alive.

The Esther Oeerioyed to Know That HIS
Bon is Alive.
Concerning the discovery by Joseph
q. Lavender, formerly OF this city,
that his son Levin, who, 1t was thought
was dead, IL alive, the Philadelphia
Evening Telegraph last week printed
the following;
Search the city over and you will find
no happier man today than Joseph L.
Lavender, q we'll and successful
dealer in Western and Southern lands,
whose Office is at No. 931 Chestnut
street, and who lives at Fifteenth street
and Columbia avenue.
For more than two years Mr.. Caven-
der has mourned over the loss of his
eldest son, Levin, who was supposed to
have died some time within that period.
Today, however, Mr.. Lavender received
letter from his 10y, not only assuring
his father Of his present well-being, but
promising more detailed statement of
his wanderiags and his present business
prospects at an early day.
To within the past two years Joseph
i. Cayenler,i his wife, daughter and
two SONS lived in Wilmington.
In October, 1897, Levin Lavender,
then q young man, % years old, an
nounoed to his parents his intention of
going South to seek his fortune, and a
few days later took his departure. He
was a car builder by trade, and antici-
pated no difficulty in securing not only
reinunerative employment, but oppor-
tunities to advance his prospects ma
terially.f
He first went to North Carolina, and
| for a time his letters home were full of
confidence and, his prospects of success.
He wrote regularly to his mother until
March Of 1898, when suddenly all COM
munications from him ceased. Afier
| his silence had been maintained for
some weeks, his parents made every
effort 10 learn his whereabouts, but
without success. Then his mother be-
| came i'll, and in the course Of few
months died. Upon her death Mr..
Lavender made even moie determined
| efforts to gain some information con-
corning the whereabouts of his wander
ing son, hut all proved futile, and
gradually the conviction fol ced itself
upon the fathers mind that the boy
had died among strangers and had been
buried far away from home.
Imagine, therefore. his joy and sur
prise when, early ia June last, he re-
ceiyed letter, the superscription upon
which was IL the never forgotten hand
| writing OF his long absent son.
1t was addressed to MRS. Joseph L.
Lavender, Wilmington, Del, " and had
been for warded to Mr.. Cavender's adj
dress IN this city. 1t was only brief
note, telling his mother, of whose death
he had never heard, that he was still in
the land of the living, and that he was
doing fairly well in the Klondike, the
/ rautry, re- fba mild h ,n tarsc Jraopnc
This morning MIR. Lavender received
e second missiVe from his boy. Like
the one written to- his mother, it was
brief, but from its general tone Mr..
Lavender is led to believe that Levin's
search for golden treasure has beer
attended by fair need of success. II
was dated at Dawson City, and states
that the writer has been on prospect
ing tour through the gold regions, but il
now contemplating an early visit 10 his
parents and the home Of his child
hoods days. The writer also says ht
was writing detailed statement of hi
adventures and experiences during thu
past two years, which he promises Il
mail bis father within few days, ant
that missive Is probably on its wa,
East'at the present time.
Mr.. Lavender stated Saturda,
that he had written to his son, telling
him Of his mothers death, immediatel,
after receiving his first letter in June
but that be had evidently not yet re
ceived that letter, as no allusion wa
made TO it in the one that reached Mr
Lavender this morning. Mr.. Oavende
also states that since his son left hom
his mother, sister, grandfather an,
three uncles have died.