The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1912-02-29
BOYS SEARCH
FOR PARENTS
ENDS HAPPILY
Story Encompassing Life Of
Charles Mcneil Stranger
Than Fiction.


The strangeness of fiction is only ex-
celled by the strangeness of truth.
Charles Mcneil. formerly night clerk
at The Strathmore. and the only sup
port of a widowed mother, but now
the son of rich contractor of Divide.
Colorado. can testify to the above
statement.
Charlie has lived the seventeen
years believing himself the son of Mr..
F, and Mrs. Rufus Mcneil. but recent de-
velopments show that he is the oldest
! son of Mr.. and Mrs. ]. H. Harkins OF
, Divide. Colorado.
The little threads of evidence gath
! cred here and there have been woven
, into one complete study of life that
/, makes chapter worthy of any best
seller" Little would one think, Meet
/ ing and speaking to Charles Mcneil
every day. that he would be the prin
cipal in little drama that uses Can
on City as part of the stage setting.
Placed in Care Of McNeiIs.
In 1894 Mr.. and Mrs. j. H. Harkins
were married in Denver. A few
months of happy married life and Mr..
Harkins suddenly disappeared. Con-
sistent search failed TO find him and
few months later. Charles, the first Of
ten children was born. Left without
support the mother found II necessary
, to exc out a meager living with her
unaccustomed hands for the susten-
, ance of her young babe and herself.
For seven months she toiled from the
break OF the dawn until the last of the
sun. steadily. faithfully. but it seemed
no use. Her health. never OF the best,
slowly began to yield to the ravage of
sickness and the hardship Of unceas-
ing daily toll.
At last the good angel came In the
persons of Mr. and Mrs. Rufus Mcneil,
then living in Denver. who offered to
adopt the little baby. The mother hesi-
, tated in accepting the offer She knew
1t was for the best. yet her maternal
, instinct made her cling to the little
wisp OF life in her arms with the ten
acity OF despair. She worked with re-
doubled effort to provide for the little
one, but the spurt wac of only tenn
poraYy duration.
Poster Father Bies.
After a night OF fear and suffering
the mellow gray of the early morning
saw the mother at the home OF Mr.
and Mrs. Rufus Mcneil and the child
was rendered to them for safe keep
ing. The mother in her guest for work
soon disappeared and the McNeils fol-
! lowing the even tenor OF their way.
soon forgot the mother except at m
teryals.
In 1886 Rufus McNeh moved to
Cripple Greek and started a saloon.
He made good from the start and 1t
was in the clear exhilirating atmo5-
phere of the famous gold camp that
Charlie was reared A few years IN
the district and Mr.. Mcneil died.
Charlie was then small lad and 1t
was not many months before he was
forced to labor to support his widowed
foster mother. He went to school when
he could and worked at odd jobs IN
the interims.
Learns Name OF Real Parents.
When he was thirteen. some busy
body who knew of his adoption. told
him FIAT Mrs. Mcneil was not his
mother and when he confronted her
with the statement the widowed lady
told him the story as 1t had happened.
From that time Charlie started his
four years search for his parents.
About year after Mrs. Harkins
gave up her infant son. Mr.. Harkins
came back The erring father soon
made amends for his absence In the