The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-03-29
ORPHANS ARE
REUNITED HERE
Mrs. Wilson of Kenosha is
Found by Brother After
Long Separation.
HUNTED MANY YEARS
Brother and Sister. Separated
for Thirteen Years, Re-
united in KenOsha.

Life again has disclosed a romance
comparable with imaginative tales of
poor little orphan Riddles, in the re-
union a few days ago of sister and
brother who had not seen each other
for thirteen years.
The sister is Mrs. John Wilson of
the Geneva road, just west of the
Cooper road, and the brother is Roy
Smitler, who has just come from Mar
tinsville, III.
1t was happy little group gathered
in the Wilson home Sunday to tell
the story of the many years separa-
tion-Mrs. Wilson, her brother and her
husband and tiny Miss Wilson. The
little girls tangled curls and wide
blue eyes intrigue the affections of
visitors and one knows instinctively
that she's very, very happy to have
gained new found uncle.
A Tragic Childhood.
The Wilson's have little farm which
is operated in addition to Mr.. Wilson's
work as a railroad man. And there is
a, little home which is delightfully."-
CHEEKY. A roaring, cracking fire,
smOthering the walls of blizzardy
winds seemed to typify the security
and joy which has come to the re-
united brother and sister.
Sundays happy scene was vivid
contrast to those which the brother
and sister remember of their child
hood years. Mrs. Wilson, then Grace
Smitler, and Roy, were two of family
of four children left parentless at the
death of their mother in 1910. Grace
was ten years old, Roy seven, and
Alvin, the youngest child, five years
old, while an older brother was able
to care for himself. The chiIdren's
tragedy occurred in Martinsville, ILL.,,
where they had an uncle who took
them into his home
They lived with their uncle for
awhile and then Grace and Alvin were
sent to an orphanage in Du Quion, Ill.
Roy was kept at his uncle's. 1t was
a dreary existence now for the two
youngsters in the orphanage. Once
they were placed together, in home,
but, as Mrs. Wilson naively put it.,
81 guess they didn't like u.s. cause we
were sent back again"
Many Years of Separation.
There followed many more drab, Bit
ter months in the institution and fin
ally the children were again placed in
private homes. Grace went to Evans
ton, ILL.,, but it was sometime before
she was2 able to learn where her little
brother had been placed. First he was
taken by family who desired to cover
his identity with legal adoption, but
later he was taken by family, al
so in Evanston, with whom he con-
tinues to live.
In the meantime Roy had not Jared
so well. After two years with his
uncle he too was placed in the orphan
age. Buffeted about for years he fin
ally determined that he was old
enough to care for himself. His wan
behring's continued but. feeling "the call
of BLOOD" he communicated with his
relatives in Martinsville. Now he
learned that his sister, happily married
had also written to her relatives.
Naturally he wanted to see her and
she, in turn, could scarcely wait until
her long-lost brother arrived. He
didn't tell her just when he was com
ing though and when he arrived last
week, in the midst of a tornado-like
storm, it was one of her happiest
surprises.
Now that they've reunited they've
decided that there will be no more
separations and Roy is planning to
make his home with his sister and
brotherin-law. It's just like fairy
dream come true to them and they're
sure that, just as in the days of real
fairies, a god-mother in the form
of Fate will give them "happy ever
after ending"