Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-12-22
DAVENPORT MAN MEETS SISTERS
IN NEW YORK TO SPEND
CHRISTMAS.
"REMINISCENCES OF YOUTH
THE TOPICS OF THEIR TALK
He Came West, Worked Hard, Was
Accounted Dead and Now Finds
Little Old New York" "Twice as
BIG az 1t Used to Be-" He
Says.

New York, Dec. 22.-Bent and white
haired, but cheerful as ever and "ge,-
ting younger every day" Thomas Kelly
came to New York recently frol. Cav-
export, Iowa. after more than si%sN
years in which he had not heard Il
word frorl the ten sisters and brothers
whom he left behind whea sci set uut
To make his fortune.
LIS two sisters. Mrs. Anna Aaner, oil
1872 Roselie street, Westchester, and
Sister Genevieve Of the trsu!ine con-
vent. Bedford park, had thought nm
dead many years, until a niece saw
an advertisement asking for intorma-
ton about Edward and John Kelly.
Letters were exchanged. Il The old
man, now 81, Joined his family for
Christmas.
Memories of Other Days.
Il never thought to see him in this
world said Mrs. Maher, hut maybe
in the next. And do you mind, she
went on, her blue eyes beaming as rec
objection after recollection came to her.
how Edward was a little child and
the kits still on him when he came
from Ireland? Edward now has been
dead more than twenty years.
L sent them 500 to come, and they
had a good heifer. Maybe they sold
H." Thomas answered, recalling how
lie rad aided in bringing the family
tc this country after he came when a
lad Of is. And it was five stacks of
rafting good oats and flax we raised
lntnra u,a roroar no added nralI1lv
Comes West to Get Land.
Wages here were low, he said. and
after he had helped his brothers and
sisters get over and settle in Brook
Tyr. he started to Providence, where
an uncle who was a brick burner and
earned s120 a month was TO help him.
But even there he didn't find Ell
dorado, So he went on west, taking with
him the girl who lived in the same
boarding house and leaving no word
for his uncle. He and Annie Hoy, the
girl. were married in Chicago.
Il went west because l thought l
could get land, but I couldn't" he said.
Il chopped wood in Michigan thru a
whole winter Then I dug coal in Ill.,
nois."
Near Forty Years a Miner.
For thirty eight years he worked in
the mines and his son Tommie n
Peter worked there too when they were
old enough.
Peter got hurt and I got a doctor
from Chicago" he continued, but he
died. Peter was a fine boy. For twenty
years I dug coal in Sparsland Qll.) and
/ put up a house. I had five good lots
and three good cows. Two tons OF coal
fell on me in a mine, and 1 was dead
for half a day. but Jim Holden-and
he was a fine, strong mamie got .
pick and dug me out and l came alive
again"
Amazed at Now Works Growth.
After his wife died about twenty
years ago Mr.. Kelly lived On in his
house for awhile, but for the last sew
enteen years he has lived with a mar
'rfeid daughter, Mrs. Elizabeth Moore,
in Davenport.
My goodness" ne said wonderingly.
when he heard that there were bridges
over the East river to Brooklyn n
tunnels under it. And New York Is
twice as big as 1t used TO be-"
Az soon as the family can be gath
cred together the Keliys are going to
have a reunion to celebrate the return
of the uncle.