The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1917-02-15
ROMANCE OF
A SHIPWRECk
Strange Meeting Of Relatives
After Many Years.

steamer crossing the Atlantic was
lost by collision in a fog. Among the
passengers never heard from were. a
lady and her little daughter.
Twenty-Five years passed. One sum.
I mer want adj" appeared in a news.
paper stating that lady desired the
| position Of chaperOn to young people
: on trip to Europe. This led to the
engagement of Miss Adelia Craven to
take charge of two young girls, Teresa
Fay and Rachel Cunningham.
These three were one day visiting
) one Of the art museums in Dresden.
! Miss Fay stood looking at picture
which seemed to interest her. and
) while she was doing so Miss Craven.
the chaperon, came up.
"a copy Of that picture is in fathers
! collection at home" said Miss Fay.
1T is also familiar to me-" said Miss
; Craven. 1T has been part my sur
roundipgs at some time in my life, but
l can't recall when or where. l have
or had an uncle who had copy Of the
picture in his library"
| w uy uO JOu Say Au' z VI ANn
Because l have not heard Of my
uncle for years"
''Did he lose you, or did you lose
him?"
II don't know. 1 was quite young
when last saw him. We drifted
apart, suppose"
Whether there was something in the
picture connecting the two or what
was the reason, from the time of this
conversation about it there seemed to
be something in the voice or the man
ner or the walk of her chaperon that
was familiar to Miss Fay. The Incl.
dent led the two to chat upon family
matters connected with the past, and
there was 9 singular sameness In GER
tain events pertaining to both families.
While there was some sixteen years
difference in the ages of the two, there
sprang up lively friendship between
them. It became evident that instead
Of a friendship during the trip they
would more likely be intimate for life.
One day while travelling in a railway
car gentleman asked Miss Fay If
she would object to his raising win
dow. She said she would not. Then he
asked if 1t would be disagreeable to
her mother, referring to Miss Craven
The girl smilingly explained that Miss
Craven was not her mother or any re.
lation to her, whereupon the gentle
man apologized. saying that he had
been uncertain whether they were
mother and daughter or an older and a
younger sister. He certainly saw re-
semblances between them, though he
could not define them.
Miss Fay had letters to people in
Rome, which procured her an entree to
the best Italian society there. A young
man Of excellent family fell in love
with her and signified his wish to
make her a proposition Of marriage.
Unfortunately there was no one on the
continent Of Europe of whom lie could
make formal application except the
chaperon, who was not authorized to
give the family consent. The result
was that Miss Fay wrote her father
OF the affair. He took the first steam
er, travelling night and day till he
reached Italy.
"What sort Of a chapcron is this you
have," he exclaimed. ito permit you to
receive attention to lead to such an I'M
fortunate result"'
There Is no unfortunate result in
my case, papa" she replied. nor in
hers either"
what do you mean by her case?'
''She's engaged already, while I'm
waiting for your consent. A member
of the Italian parliament, a widower
wants her."
81 fine pair to send abroad togeth
err! Both you and your chaperon re-
ceiving marriage proposals! However
1 will look into this affair Of yours"
While Mr.. Fay's investigations were
pending his daughter told him Of the
picture that both had seen in Dresden,
Il copy Of which was in both families
There has never been but one copy
of that picture made" replied Mr.. Fay
land that was for me by special per
mission"
THAT proves it," replied the daugh
ter. II have known it all the while
She Is relative of ours"
There followed an investigation not
OF a mans family, but Of Miss era
ren's. The next day Mr.. Fay called
upon that Iady's fiance and said to
him:
II understand, sir, that you are en-
gagged to Miss Craven, and she has told
you she has no relative Of whom You
may make a formal application for her
hand, When she told you this she was
mistaken.
MANY years ago ship was lost at
sea by collision with another vessel in
fog. My sister and her little girl
were passengers on the lost vessel.
never had heard word Of the mother
or of the daughter till Yesterday. By