The Washington times., 1922-10-01
FATE UN|TES
S|STERSLOST
FORTY YEARS
Capital Is Scene of Happy
Meeting Between Old Vir-
ginia Families.

O'd Mister George w. Coincidence,
| Grievously oveTworked in movies ana
magazine articles, has stepped out Of
| his regular job to take a fling at
real life.
He brought about the reunion Of
two sisters, after forty years OF
silence and separation, in a manner
which the downiest of story critics
would condemn as "improbable," :"
"unconvincing" and ''insincere."
Now, ordinary reunions aren't
worth more than two inches Of Yalu.
able newspaper space. But the meet
ing of Mrs. Melinda Stoneburncr, of
Fast Falls Church, Va, and Mrs.
Ada Bremerman, of 421 Randolph
street northwest. is probably the
most extraordinary coordination of
condolences in the annals of the
, capital.
Apart Forty Years.
Take this down: They had not
met, or heard of each other for forty
years, and each thought the other
dead; each married a man with the
Christian name of Charles; each Is
the mother of three sons and three
daughters; each has a son named
Raymond, and a daughter named
Bessie, although neither of these
names is a family fixture.
How did it happen? Ask old man
Coincidence.
In the stirring days Of 1882, the
Branham family, living at Mount
Jackson, Va, was reduced in person
mel by the departure of Ada, one CT
two daughters. Ada. then sixteen
years old, came to Washington to en-
gage in private nursing. For a
month the two girls, who were more
than ordinarily fond of each other.
correspondent; and then Ada stopped
nursing at one home and went 20 an
other.
At about the same time, Melinda,
the stay-at-home girl, bundled the
canary and the antimacassars and
the kitchen poker into the moving
van and the native Branhams took
| up their residence elsewhere.
Letters Miscarry.
Letters were returned unclaimed
or drifted into the Dead Letter Office
| and the two girls awoke to learn that
only searching inquiry would unite
them Then they became involved
in more direct interests, married and
wondered, as only long-lost sisters
do wonder, where the other was.
A few days ago. one of the Brcm-
erman boys was driving the family
automobile through nearby Virginia.
when he saw the sign Cider For
Sale" on a fence near the road. Be-
hind the fence was the farm Of Char
lie Stoneburner. husband of Melinda.
Mr.. Stoneburner makes cider from
his orchard and does a big business
with tourists.
Well, young Bremerman was
thirsty and he turned into the gate
Of the Stoneburner property, where
he was served by Mr.. Stoneburner.
Between drinks the two Conversed,
and finally an old physician. a pas
senger on the car, friend of the
Bremermans from Virginia, spoke up.
Hears Home Tongue.
THAT drawl sound like home"
commented the cider king.
THAT drawl comes from back yon-
der" replied the doctor. pointing to
the general direction of Mt. jackson.
Observation-Disclosures"
MT. jackson"
Tat so?"
"Yes, sir" put in young Bremen
man. My mother came from there.
too"
What manner" asked Mr.. Stone
burner.
Name O. Branham." the physician
said.
Land o. mercy" exclaimed Mr.
Stoneburner-or words to that effect.
oh, Lin. Come a-runnin'."
Tells Tale to Mother.
Shortly afterward young Bremen
man went home with wild story
about finding a missing aunt. Quite
naturally, his mother would not be-
| lieve him, because, in the best-regu-
lated families, aunts doh't disappear
and turn up after forty years as the
wives of cider merchants.
But Bremerman insisted that he
had found his aunt. So Mrs. Stone
burner came to Washington and met
her sister-for the first time since
girlhood. The two aged women wept
and laughed alternately, and COM
pared most amazing notes concerning
the number and names of their chill
dren.