The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1907-05-10
Mother Had Not Seen Boy
For Twenty Years.
HAD RAN AWAY FROM HOME
Parents Lived at FairmOnt and After.
ward Moved to Blue Earth: Story
Reads Like Romance.

Redwing, Nav 8.-Theodore Martin of
this city is one of the happiest men III
the world today. The happiness was
brought about by the finding of his long
lost mother, whom he had not seen or
heard of for over twenty years, and with
tears flowing down his countenance he
evinced his happiness.
Mr.. Martin, before leaving for the
| east, gave very interesting story OF
his life. Unable to bear the cruel and
inhuman treatment of his father, Ted
dv,' then a barefoot boy of six years,
ran away from the old home at Fair
mont Mimi. This was twenty years ago.
For some days after leaving home he
was taken care of by charitable fam
lilies and finally was placed in an or
phans' home in st. Paul. He was then
adopted by Mr.. and Mrs. Martin and
made his home with them for nine years.
At the age of fifteen Mr.. Martin set
out into the world to make his own way
and if possible to locate his mother,
whom he had never frogotten. He travel
ed extensively, and at the outbreak of
the Spanish American war enlisted as a
musician in the Tenth United States in
fantry.
After his discharge from the army he
spent two years in San Francisco and
then went to Pine Island to make his
home. For the last two years he has re-
sided in this city.
During all this period the thoughts of
his mother and the old home were still
fresh in his memory, but after numerous
+oll Oh
Believing this, Mr.. Martin about two
weeks ago left for Fairmont in the hope
of finding some trace of a sister or broth
err While there he visited the Catholic
cemetery and discovered a marble slab
with the name Mrs. John Martini in
scribed on it. Mr.. Martin now firm
| " believed that the grave was that of
his mother, and told the story of his
visit to an elderly gentleman by the
name of Mr.. Gates. who at once volun-
teered to assist him in the long search
for his relatives. Mr.. Martin then re-
turned to Red Wing. During the next
four days he received three letters from
Mr.. Gates, which gave him positive proof
that he had one brother and one sister
living. The following day, as Mr. Mar
tin was packing his trunk preparatory
to leaving for the East, Letter No. 4
arrived, stating that his mother had
been located at Blue Earth, MINI. Mr..
Martin had been disappointed so many
times before in his efforts to locate his
mother that he considered the message
a joke, but finally decided to telephone
to Blue Earth that evening.
1t was while his mother was kneeling
in prayer asking the Almighty for the
safe return of her long lost son that she
was interrupted by the ringing of the
telephone. Drawing the receiver to her
ear she heard the Words
"Hellow, mother. This is your long
lost Theodore"
An explanatory conversation followed,
and the next train took Mr.. Martin to
Blue Earth, and pathetic meeting took
place between mother and son.
Mr.. Martin said that his mother.
whose name is Mrs. Mary Mahlerect, is
now fifty-One years old, but she resem-
bles the picture he had of her in his
mind during all those years of search,
although her hair is now tinged with
gray.
Il not only found my mother" said
Mr.. Martin, but | learned for the first
time my real name, and also that l have
four brothers and five sisters"
Mr.. Martin spent five days with his
mother in Blue Earth, and now he says
the mail carrier will bring little mes
sage to her once week while he is in