Year: 1869

LOST AND FOUND


A New Hampshire correspondent of the
Boston journal tells the following true story
of q gray-haired lover who ate his Thanks
giving dinner within thirty miles Of Concord


The hero of the story WAS born in the State
of New York, and passed his youth on Il fer
tile farm in the valley fthe Mohawk river.
In the course of time he was engaged to be
married. Before the nuptials were celebra-
ted he became interested in another young
lady who also proved to be engaged, but be-
tween them there>soon sprung up Il strong
intimacy, which on@he part of both was care
fully concealed from the other parties CON
cerned. They both We're convinced that
thor existing engagements were not the re-
suits OF any deep seated love, but that Il union
between themselves would be productive of
the highest earthly happiness. The most
solemn pledges, however, had been made by
them, and like honorable persons thev,shrunk
from the idea of ofbreaking their plighted VOWS.
In vain they waited hoping that sometime
might occur which would cause the other
parties to give them release from matrmo-
NAL obligations AT length they met as they
supposed, quite probably for the last time,
and parted only after pledging each other a
love which death only could destroy The
man married and emigrated to the West and
the woman was united in hymenal bonds
and settled on the shores OF Oneida Lake


These occurrences happened nearly fifty
years ago. The western adventurer proved a
good husband and 4 kind father and grew in
to middle age Il widely known and inlluen-
tial citizen. Prosperity attended him and
wealth and many friends came to him. After
twenty years of married life his wife was
taken from him, but children remained to
gladden. his heart and home. Sometimes in
the twilight hours rs he gazcd over his broad
acres and looked upon his oycrllowing gran
aries he would think of his only love, and
hope that if she were living there was never Il
lcanness in her basket or store. BY and by
several of his children married and one OF
them came to New Hampshire. Years pass.
ed on and his hair became sivcry white, but
he had never again visited the East When
Il certain sweet image tloated in his mind he
would endeavor to forget it and to convince
himself That quite likely she had long ago pass
ed away from earth. This conclusion wa.
strengthened from the fact that he had ncyc
received in any way a single scrap Of inteli
gence concerning her


After repeated invitations from his relative
he concluded 4 few months ago to spend Will
them in New Hampshire the then approach
ing festival of Thanksgiving. He reached
Albany at the time Of height OF tie great flood
and travel being much INTERRUPTED he stayed
over q few days and accidentally met some
old acpuuntances of his youth. During on,
conversation there WAS casually mentioned
the name Of her from whom he had man,
years ago 50 sorrowiully parted. Eagerly h(
asked if she was vet alive, and when answer
ed in the affirmative tears came to his eyes
and he told his friends that he must at one,
set out in search for her. He was told where
she was living only six months previous, an(
thither he went with all possible haste, bu
she was not there Only amonth before 81,
had gone away He learned the direction it
was supposed she had taken, and AGAIN will
all possible speed he pushed forward. Bu
fate seemed against hin, for farther and fin
thcr away seemed to him tha object Of hi
search.


At last, after he had travelled hundreds o
miles, going often by night as well rs bv day
he found the lost angel Of his youth. Word
cannot picture the scene of The meeting $,
over it we kindly draw the veil. In Il mo
ment, a. it were, the history Of their lives
Went in review before them, and tine sad pAr,
ING OF iouJ-lNN years ago was aGln a llNn4