The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-12-23
Happiness Comes to an Aged
Woman at Last.
Romantic, but Always Disap-
pointing, Career.
NINETY YEARS TRIALS.
Mrs. Jnlianne r. zach Finds Her
Missing Sons.
Sad Story of the Perfidy of Man
in Hour OF Trouble.

LeavenVSorth, Karl, Dec. 23.-The
Times says:
A romance of real life, the equal of
which is not often II Jet in these times
of supposed adherence to cold material
ism. was that which n lade the life story
of Mrs. Julianne Roai ch, who was laid
at rest in Mt. Muncfe cemetery Sunday
after ninety years in the world which,
to her at least, must have seemed de-
void of any relief TO suffering and adj
versity.
Over half a century ago, back In the
little town of Loga msport, Ind, lived
Scott Roach, a home seeker, with his
wife and family Of hi ne children; four
boys and five girls. The eldest boy,
viii, was only a merts lad at the time
and the other children ranged anywhere
from few months to half score of
years
There was nothing b1 t sunshine and
hope and happiness in the family in
the wild free west where the laws had
not yet been made and wi lere the settler
lived subject solely at he bidding of
caprice The husband and wife toiled
from sunrise to sunset he clearing a
field in the forest she te ad1ng to the
live stock and horses. W. hen the boy
went through the woods after the COWS
whistling with the JOY of living IN the
free atmosphere of the great wild, he
often saw the frightened deer with their
great impid eyes spring away from his
lurid woods Of the fall There could be
no tribulations in this blessed land
But for every measure of joy and con-
tentment there must seemingly be
PREPARATION and it was not long until the
husband, grown weary of the unceasing
toll and detection over the loss OF
spring crop, packed his family and few
belongings in his great white prairie
schooner and was again a rover.
Once more the family settled down in
q part of the country seemingly fairer
than any other, if that were possible,
and though poorer than ever the air of
contentment again settled on their lot.
Anon the crops failed. the husband grew
entirely discouraged and packed his
goods to move
His wife and children We're waiting
to start when he said he would drive
back to the house in his wagon for
something that had been forgotten. Two
of the sons, George and Lewis, went
with him and from that moment q
shadow fell over their lives and the
life of the mother that was not lifted
Tor half a century. The father did not
return and the mother left destitute
with her seven small children was
forced to face the lot before which the
6rmer heart of Scott Roach had quailed.
The Oldest boy toiled in the fields to
earn some little Sustenance for those
whom fate had placed dependent on
him. The mother was taken into a
wealthy family with the three young
est children and the two elder girls
were placed in families in nearby
towns. Hunger and priyation, were at
least stayed for the time
Then the father came again and took
the two little girls, living away from
their mother, and carried them off to
where the boys were. Not long after
the three girl babies Aed, leaving only
the eldest son. William S. and the baby
boy. James, with the mother. While
living together in this wise a brother of
Mrs. Roach came from New Albany
Ind nd told n Gle ho hn h0d
seen her runaway husband and the chill
dren at New Albany The wife, obedi-
ent to a love for her children, packed
her belonging and started to follow
him. She arrived in New Albany and
went to the place where Scott Roach
lived and found that once more she had
been outwitted- Not three hours before,
he had left in his wagon, having been
notified of the wife's coming shortly be
fore.
The years passed without incident
now. Will Roach had grown to man
hood and had taken his mother down
to the old home on Plum creek where
the deer used to fly from him and the
squirrels were at home, but though the
place was the same, though the little
clearing and the log hut had not been
disturbed, the place was too full of
memories and they soon left the place.
His mother was finally made COM
Portable and the baby brother who had
been the sole object of all efforts was
broke out and the wave of patriotism
carried the eldest son to war. He
served till the close in the 12Sth In
diana infantry and then leaving his
mother in the keeping of his brother
James he married and came west, to
Kansas and to Leavenworth- Here he
prospered for some time until his eyes
gave out while working for the Great
Western Manufacturing Co, and he
moved to his farm near Rosedale.
But misfortune seemed to be irwin
chile and again it overlook him when
he lost his health and was given up to
die. He went to Excelsior Springs a
little later and there grew better.
These are all details of the common
place but it was here that the great
climax of the romance of half a CEN
tury's time came.
Roach went to the polls there one
morning in 1899 to cast his vote. As
he stepped up and took his ballot one
of the judges of election, a man named
Arnold, stopped him as he saw his
name and asked, Are you relative