The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1915-07-16
AHappy
Discovery
By RUTH GRAHAM

John Mason, u young man Of fortune.
devoted a great deal Of his time aud
money to charitable work. He visited
hospitals and not only inquired into
things needed, but sat down beside pa
tfents, asked what he could do for
them and occasionally chatted with one
Familiarity.
Mason was a man of liberal educa-
ton and literary tastes. There was an
old gentleman named GOrham In whom
the young man became interested.
Gorham having been in his younger
days a publisher when magazines were
exponents of literary productions and
not advertising mediums. Gorham had
published the writings Of literary lights
who 1ourished in the earlier part Of
the nineteenth century and had many
interesting stories to tell concerning
authors. To these Mason listened with
great relish.
Gorham had in those days been
wealthy and at the time Of his greatest
prosperity had ridden to and from his
office. He had a good. wife, but n
thing he had not, children. The hus-
band was so engrossed in his business
that he did not miss the absence OF on
spring so much as his wife, who l0nged
for a child and would not be com
forted without one. Finally with her
husbands consent she went to a found
ling asylum and took therefrom a baby
boy.
The clothing in which the child had
been received was of the finest tex
ture, and there was every indication
that he had been born of refined par
ents. He was adopted by the Gorhams
and brought up as their ION. taking the
name of his foster father, Henry Cor
ham. He became the idol Of his foster
mother, who lavished every attention
upon him.
When the boy was becoming old
enough to be Of still more interest to
the Gorhams he suddenly disappeared.
His nurse n morning left him on the
porch in front of the house for a few
minutes and when she returned he was
gone. The foster parents spent no end
of money to find him. but received no
trace Of him. The blow almost killed
Mrs. Gorham. Her husband begged
her to adopt another child. but she
would not. Little Harry had wound
himself around her heart and she
would not. or rather felt that she could
not, replace him with another.
In time misfortune came to the Cor
hams. Henry Gorham. not content
with his success in the publishing
business. launched forth in various
speculatiOns. For a time he vas sue
cessful: then several Of them collapsed
at once. His publishing business was
carried down with them. and from at
f1uence he and his wife fell into pow
erty. Then came old age. when men
have neither the strength nor daring to
begin anew. And lastly Henry Cor
ham fell i'll with a lingering disease.
An old friend. an author. whom Cor
ham had launched on II successful ca
reer by his appreciation of his literary
small fortune provided m income for
the old couple, which was barely suffi-
Gent to keep them in a small house
and provide them with food and cloth
ing. When Gorham fell Ill he needed
medical attendance and nursing, which
he could get only ut a hospital. He
was removed to one and his benefac-
tor paid the additional expense.
One day John Mason IN calling at
the hospital found his old friend in
great mental misery. The man who
had been paying his way had died sud-
denly. and his widow had refused to
continue his b%enefaction. Massh Of
.feredtato stand in the place Of thesasts,e.
factor. His offer was a great relief to
the invalid, who asked him to st md
see his wife and tell her the gOoi
news.
Mason had o happened to meet
Mrs. Gorham when she had called to
see her husband. He acceded to the
old mans request and, visiting the lady
in her humble abode. begged her not to
worry, assuring her that he would con-
tinue the income she and her husband
had been receiving.
From the moment. Mason entered
Mrs. Gorham's presence her eyes were
UX0O upon uI0 Will u singular SApES0-
sion. He accompanied his offer with 4
smile, which intensified this look on
the old lady's face. Throwing up her
hands and her eyes at the same time.
she exclaimed:
"Oh, heavens, how ike Harry"
Naturally Mason asked who was
Harry and was told for the first time
the story Of her lost foster son Mason
listened with an interest far more In
tense than might have been expected.
At the end Of his recital be said mu-
singly:
.Can 1t be possible that
He paused and on being asked to
finish said that his mother had married
without her fathers consent. When .
baby he had been left at a foundlingA
asylum. His grandfather. after BIZ
fathers and mothers death, which, had
occurred in quick succession. had trac-
ed him to the home and from there to
the people who had adopted him, Fear
Ing that he would not be given up. the