The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-07-28
Mildred Athene Keith Comes
Home" and Lifelong Search
is Ended
PARENTS WERE PARTED
BEFORE SHE WAS BORN
Aid of City and County Officials
and Friends Brings the Two
Together

stosy stranger than most hcuon.
When a girl has grown to the age
OF ~ wlthou, having enjoyed the priv
hegcs Of home and parents, aud
when father has daughter OF that
eye whom he has never seen meeting
means much more to the principals
tLan the fanny reunion as usually
celebrated
This has been the experience OF
James Z. Keith, member OF prom.
hent family Ia southwestern Missouri,
md his daushJer Mildred The story
egan ? years ago in the quiet little
Missouri village of Doniphan Pearl
Carter, q Baptist minister's daughter,
was "sreet l6' and the village belle.
young jim Keith was only rs. but
lIe Was the best liked, the most indus
trious Of the village boys" Their
wedding was a gay affair. news
Tarer clipping OF the event says
Everything necessary for going TO
housekeeping except tho food. was in
cluded in the wedding presents"
soon after his daughters marriage
Rev Mr. Carter moved 70 another
town and the young people were left
atcly, Pearl had been taught nothing
OF home making or housekeeping, and
did not fully realize her responsible
tiles She only knew as time went
ON, that marriage was not what she
had expected il 10 be- So the young
hus band came home 70 dinner one
day and found his young wife had
gone and the home dIsmantled She
had gone home Is her mother" He
vas hurt and humiliated-but his pride
Tornado him 10 ask her 10 return He
got divorce as soon as possible and
never saw her again
About g year later there came to
h'm anonymously through the mail a
photograph OF a lovely baby few
months old on the back OF II was
written Mildred Athenp Keith" The
astonished boyfather lost no time in
trying. 10 trace the sender OF the pic.
tire, hut failure mo, his efforts. The
oily news that ever came 10 him was
OF the death Of the little daughter
and yet q third time this news came
70 him but events proved il to be
unauthentic.
Eighteen years after his wife's flight
he married again, but in less than a
year death again made hrs home des.
olate and he retreated 10 one of his
farms
In the meantime Pearl Carter Keith
lived with her father wherever his
cal might be Little Mildred grew ND
IN the quiet atmosphere OF q country
minister's hcme Her mother was
something OF q musician anad she
began teaching the child when she
was Al IA Mildred began teaching
herself
The girl knew absolutely nothing OF
her father She never had seen even
a photograph OF him Aside from the
natural hidden longing. she did not
allow herself % think OF h;m-life had
tecome too strenuous for mere dream
irg BREAD and butter and clothing
we're the very practical measures OF
life VOW She tried many things yet
a world did not prove an easy place
for a Young. clear,eyed Girl So far
from easy did her way prove that Mil
bred Keith sought an almost unhe-
l'evahlc place of refuge The insane
asylum AZ Anna, H. not as a patient
but as an attendant, Is where she
eventually obtained employment fo-
ser self-support Mildred does not
like 10 dwell on this phase OF her
life. vet ont Of II grew her discovery
Of her father, and Of all that life now
holds for her
In the friendly lntimacics OF the at
tendants the knowledge OF Miss
Keith's ignorance OF all concerning
her father became known In an "off
duty" discussion one day systema.
tlzcd attempt 10 locate tie missing
parent was decided on Mildred knew
she was born at Grandon Mo; she
had heard OF Doniphan and OF Poplar
Bluff. how or in what connection she
did not know. hut letters were writ
ten to officials az those places explain
ing her identity and asking for any
rcesibe Information regarding her
father
The note Of longing and OF loneH-
ness, "a well as the love for the un-
known father, enlisted the interest OF
r. " Wilcox. city clerk OF POPLAR
Glun, Mo Mr. Wilsox set himself
with will 70 do what was possible.
lie found a man who occasionally
heard from the missing parent When
last written 90 tho address had been
Carthage Mo. SO 4 telegram promis.
inC good news" for James r. Keith.
could the gentleman he located. was
sent Ia the chief Of notice Of Carthage
Mrs Lulu Keith Crowder. tho wife OF
tho prosecuting attorney and the
father OF Mildred Athene Keith was
found
kilograms and nIeht letters few
thick and conveyed 10 Mr. Keith the
Joyous news that his daughter had
been found Money flashed along the
wires 10 Mildred with an inslstent
prayer 10 come AZ once" Then Low
ing messages heFan literally 10 pour
In = her Through them all rang
the hote of rejoicing and a welcome
that was all Impotence for her com.
ing Thus Il was that this week. on
the eve. Of her twentieth birthday.
Miss Mildred Keith stopped from the
train At Carthage Mo. into the arms
o: father who had hungered for her
for 90 long years In less than two
weeks from the time she sent out her
frst search letter. she had ceased 20
he alone IN the world
Miss Keith will live with her father
In what henceforth will he her new
home AZ his country place. near
Alba, Mo