Year: 1869

n VI t1c DOSJOu oOuF-
nal writing from Concord, N. H., tells the
following romantic story:


One of the happiest Thanksgiving din
ners in New Hampshire yesterday, was in
one of our rural villages, not thirty miles
from Concord. 1t was the first reunion
| for many years of several generations of a
certain family. At the head of the
| table sat the venerable grandfather, now
eighty-one years of age. He had come
alone, thousands of miles, from the West,
to meet his descendants. After the din


ner, he told the story of his life. Some OF
its main features we have gathered for this
| letter.


The hero Of the story was born in the
State of New York, and passed his youth
on fertile farm in the valley of the Mo-
hawk river. In the course of time he was
engaged to be married. Before the nup-
tials were celebrated he became interested
in another young lady, who also proved
to be engaged, but between them there
soon sprung up a strong intimacy, which,
on the part of both, was carefully con-
cealed from the other parties concerned.
The most solemn pledges. however, had
been made by them, and they shrunk
from the idea of breaking their plighted
VOWS. In vain they waited, hoping that
something might occur which would cause
the other parties to give them release from
matrimonial obligations.


AT length they met, as they supposed,
for the last time, and parted. The man
married and emigrated to the West, and
the woman was united in hymeneal bonds
and settled on the shores of the Oneida
lake. These events happened nearly fifty
years ago. The Western adventurer
proved good husband and kind father,
and grew into middle age widely-known
and influential citizen. Prosperity attend
ed him, and wealth and many friends came
to him. After twenty years of married
| life his wife was taken from him, but
children remained. By and by several Of
| his children married, and one of them
came to New Hampshire. Years passed


on, but he had never again visited the


East


After repeated invitations from his rela-


tives he concluded few months ago to
| spend with them, in New Hampshire, the


then approaching festival of Thanksgiv-


ing He reached Albany at the time OF


the height of the great flood, and travel


being much interrupted he stayed over a


few days, and accidentally met some old


acquaintances of his youth. During one


conversation there was casually mentioned


the name of her from whom he had many


years ago so sorrowfully parted. Eagerly


he asked if she were yet alive, and when


answered in the affirmative tears came to


his eyes, and he told his friends that he


must at once sci out in search for her. He


was told where she was living only six


months previous, and thither he went with


all possible haste, but she was not there.
Only month before she had gone away.
| He learned the direction it was sup


posed she had taken, and again with all
possible speed he pushed forward. But


fate seemed against him, for farther and


farther away seemed to him the object of
| his search. At last, after he had Travelled
hundreds of miles, going by night as well
| as by day, he found the love of his youth.
| The story of the woman was one of long
| toll and suffering. After ten years of
| welded life her husband had died of lin
gering disease, leaving her with three
children.


One after another of these treasures


were claimed by death, until she was left
alone and friendleSs. In such circum-
stances she was found by one who re-
newed the pledge of his youthful affection,
and asked that to her happiness he might
devote the remainder of his life. Such
was the grandfather's story at the happy
Thanksgiving dinner, and he closed by
saying that one week from that day he
was to belnarried to her who had been so
long lost, but who was at length restored
to him.