The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1903-03-20
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fOrigfnal.1

ever. Andrew McCabe proved n very /
good workman. and at the end of the
haying season the family had become
so much attached TO him and he seem
ed so loath TO depart that they per- |
mitted him TO remain. He was pa /
tient and willing and took upon him
self many duties that tended to relieve |
them of much of the drudgery.
Mrs. Lupton. the mother of John. |
seemed especially interested in the old |
man. There was something about him |
that appealed to her. though she could |
not tell what II was-a familiar tone
in the voice. an expression I'm the face,
his gait as he walked from the well to
the barn with n bucket of water In
each hand. At any rate. there was a
soft spot in the woman's heart for him.
and she was always ministcring to his
comfort. She gave him one of the best
rooms In the house. she would insist
on his receiving the daintiest bits at
table. and II he came In overheated
she would gently force him into a
hammock on the porch and often sit
tanning him. Indeed, John Lupton,
fearing that his mother might take 1t
into her head to marry the old man.
was beginning to think that he had
better be sent away. However. when
Lupton came to this decision the hay
ing had come round again. and. TO tell
the truth. John was so fond of the old
man himself that he put the matter off.
One day McCabe was driving a load
OF hay from the field to the barn when
the wagon upset and he fell. striking
his head against a stone. He was car
ried unconscious to the farmhouse. and
the village doctor was called. The case
was pronounced critical, as the skull
was injured. and n surgeon came from
| the city who performed the operation
called trepanning. or removing por-
ton of the skull The first words spo-
ken by McCabe after the effects of the
an@sthetic had passed off were:
Hi. hi, Johnny Reb, See 'em runr'
Turning TO John Lupton. the surgeon
asked him II he had ever heard the
patient speak of having been In the
army. to which John replied that he
had never heard him speak of his early
life at all All listened for more words
from McCabe. but his mutterings were
incoherent. When he came to himself,
the surgeon ordered every one from
the room, and the patient was kept
quiet until IL was safe to permit him
| to sit up and receive visits from the
family. Then the startling discovery
was made that he did not remember
any of them. He had had few words
with the surgeon. who told him that
the year was 1900 and not 1864. as he
supposed, and that he had doubtless
been living for thirty-six years with
out remembrance of his own identity.
The subject had scarcely been entered
upon before the family doctor, who
now had charge Of the case. forbade
his patient either to talk or think about
it under penalty of probably losing his
life. But now that McCabe had no rec
objection of those with whom he had
been living an interest was aroused in
finding out who he was. that he might
be restored to his family. The doctor
questioned the convalescent.
"Are you sure your name is Nc
CabeT
"McCabe? No. Who said so?"
what is itT'
Inc Olu man looheu uOuuitu- ne
| could not remember.
ITO what command did you belongT'
Company X, -th Iowa infantry"
"We shall not have much trouble in
finding out your identity, for this place
!, is near the state capital, where the rec
ords are kept. I'll attend to it my
self"
I When the doctor left the house, he in
, formed the family that he had in his
notebook a memorandum of the mans
regiment and would look the matter up
Two days later he returned with very
: singular expression on his face. After
asking the condition of his patient he
went into his room and closed the door
In a little while he called for every
: member of the family TO come to the
patients bedside. When they were all
! assembled. they found McCabe propped
4 up with pillows. but instead of the mel
. ancholy face he had worn. especially
since the operation. he beamed upon
them with q newly kindled interest.
II am going to make an announce
ment,'' said the doctor. with reference
: 10 this veteran of the civil war. He
/ III lob- III III ioNd
try and was reported missing after the
battle of Nashville. since when he has
lived under the name of Andrew Nc
| Cabe His real name Is John Lupton
| and he is the head of this family"
The wife tottered TO the bedside and
| sank on her husbands breast. Johr
Lupton. Jr.. came up behind his mother
and grasped his father by the hand
The others stood by wonder stricken
The doctor stood back. For some tim'
there was no sound save the sobs of th'
woman who ut twenty had been wild
owed and at fifty-five was reunited
with her husband.
II the Widow Lupton was attentive
to the wanderer. she was n THOUSAND
times more devoted TO him now tha
she knew he was the same John Lup
ton she had married and seen startin;
of in the pride of youth with his regi
ment and had since two years late
mourned as dead. And John Lupton
Jr.. rejoicing I'm the return of fathe
whom he had been taught TO rever
as une who had died in battle. cease'
u worry that his mother had though
4 marrying.
ANNETTE ovERTON-