Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-11-14

lnere mas just tranSplfeQ III cOun-
try home in South Dakota, the happy
ending of most sorrowful story
which commenced in Ottumwa ever
eighteen years ago, and a mother is
reunited to her sons after long years
of weary waiting and separation. The
story sounds like fiction, but its truth
is undisputed, and the facts were told
to Courier reporter this morning by
Mother Joseph, who is the head
of the Sisters of the Humility of Mary,
the order to which all the credit for
the happy event is due.
The Story.
About eighteen years ago Mrs. Mar
gartha Violet, then comparatively
young woman, but one who was physi-
cally frail, was deserted by her hus-
band in this city. She struggled hero
ically to make living for herself and
her three little boys, one of whom was
babe but few months old. Final
ly, however, she became physically
unable to cope with the troubles which
surrounded her, ard she became so i'll
that for time all hope was given up.
She thought she was about to die and,
in order that her three boys might be
taken care of she requested that the
Sisters of Humility in this city look
after them.
Boys Placed in Homes.
Mother Frances, who then had
charge of the convent in Ottumwa,
took the three little children, and
when they had become old enough to
partially care for themselves she
placed them in three different homes.
two in Iowa and one in Missouri. Fred
went to family named Doyle, at I'M
ogene, in this state, while George was
raised on farm as a member of a
family named Sloan, who lived mid
way between Imogene and Shenan-
doah. Henry was placed in family
named Berry, residing at Maryville,
Mo.
All three boys were very fortunate
in securing excellent homes, and they
were raised as members of the families
with which they were placed. Every
kindness was shown them, and Mother
Joseph, who had meanwhile come into
charge of the convent in this city, was
acquainted with their conditions and
their whereabouts.
Find the Mother.
The mother was lost sight of by the
Sisters, and she was supposed by them
and by her sons to be dead. Never
theless. Mother Joseph never gave up
trying to locate her, realizing that it
was possible that she had survived
| the illness which it was feared would
prove fatal. ~
Finally, after much work, extending
over more than fifteen years, the moth
er was found. She had drifted to
South Dakota, and until three years
ago she managed to maintain herself
at Yanllton, in that state. She never
/ fully regained her health, and will al
ways be an invalid. For the past
three years she has been with Mr..
and Mrs. D. G. Bayley, who reside
nine miles northeast Of Mitchell, a
small town in South Dakota, not far
from Sioux City.
After Many Years.
In the Bayley home Mrs. Violet has
been treated with the greatest consid
Grafton on account of her delicate ply
steal condition. A short time age
Mrs. Bayley received a letter from
Mother Joseph, telling her of the
whereabouts of Mrs. Wolct's sons, and
inquiring as to the condition of the
mothers health. The joy of the lat
ter on learning that her sons were
alive and well can better be imagined
than described, and the thankful let
ter received from Mrs. Bayley by the
Sisters is enough to repay them fo
the trouble the search has caused
them. Mrs. Bayley's communication
stated that Mrs Violet had been il
ever since coming to the South Dalot;
farm, and that she was at the time thu
letter was written hopeless invalid.
Industrious Boys.
The boys were at once notified
George and Fred, having grown t
manhood have left their benefactor
and are employed as mechanics at tn
Chicago & Northwestern roundhous
at Council Bluffs. They had adopte
the names of the families with WHOM
+ they had lived, although they had nel
t er been legally adopted as children
and they are now known as Fred Doyl
; and George Sloan. The third brother
! whose name is Henry, was legal
5 adopted into family named Berry
} living at Maryville, Mo-, and his nam
r was changed to Charles, because on
: of the Berry children bore the nam
5 of Henry.
: A Happy Reunion.
!, Eager to see their mother, fror
whom they had been separated fo
nearly twenty years, Fred and Georg
: secured leave of absence from thei
foreman, and on Monday they set on
: for Mitchell, and proceeded immediate
:, ly to the Bayley home, where the hal
!, Ply reunion took place.
E AS yet nothing has been learned II
= garding what is to be done for Mr.
= Wolct's future comfort, but it
: thought that the boys will take he
to the Sloan home near Shenandoah
where George was so kindly treated.
I TRIED TO SUICIDE.