Year: 1873




quickly raised her and carried her to
the settee, where, seeing her partly re-
stored, he left her to the care of her
friends, who stood weeping around her,
while he, mastering together a number
of the slaves, soon started in pursuit Of
the gypsies; but, as he had feared, they
were no where to be found, having left
the day before, and he was forced, al
most distracted, to return to his now
desolate home without his child. For
months the search was kept up, and adj
vertisements were inserted in all the
papers, but of no avail, and nothing
has ever been heard of that sister whom
we so fondly loved. My mother never
recovered from the blow. a deep mel
ancholy settled upon her, and in few
short months we buried her beneath the
weeping willow, where so often she had
gamboled with her darling little one.
The year following this we were sent to
school, where we remained five years,
when we We're called home to the death
bed Of our only remaining parent.


''AIy fathers brother was appointed
our guardian, and being an old bachelor,
took up his abode in the house with US.
The slaves were all disposed of with the
exception of Kizzy and two others, who
have since died, and we three continued
to live alone in the house which had
once witnessed our childish mirth, as
well as those scenes which had wrung
our young hearts with sadness. Years
| passed, and we had arrived at manhood;
still the memory Of that lost and darling
sister has ever been as fresh in my mind
as the day on which it happened.


''The house always seemed dreary to
me after the death of our parents and
the many changes which followed, and
had it not been for the faithful Kizzy, 1
should scarcely have felt at home. Ny
| brother never seemed to realize our
loss as did, probably on account of his
youth, he being but seven years old at
the time of our mothers death. I had
a desire to leave the place, which,
though one Of grandeur and magnifi-
cence, presented nothing but n dreary
aspect to me. l therefore announced
my intention of joining the army,
which had always been my hobby from
boyhoOd. There being no one to oppose
my wishes, | soon bade farewell 10 old
scenes, to my brother and uncle and
friends, and started out in the wide
world to win glory, as ! ambitiously
hoped, for myself You all know as far
as the worlds opinion was concerned /
was successful; but for this / care not,
so that my own conscience tells me L
have tried to be just and upright.


"NIy brother remained at home until
his marriage, when he removed to
Charleston, the home of his bride,
where he resided till her death, five
years subsequent, when he returned
with Robert, then three years old, to
his former home. There he breathed
his last, and there repose his ashes be-
side his kindred dust. / remained
abroad for several years, gaining fame
in various ways, till at last my health
failing me, 1 was obliged to retire to
private life.


at was during n short sojourn at
Princeton, New Jersey, that 1 became
acquainted with Alice Peters, the
daughter of a physician, and who is
now, my children, your own beloved
mother. Soon after this 1 went South,
settled up my affairs, sold all my prop
erty, with the exception of the home
stead, which 1 shall always retain as a
memento of the past.


"Your mother and myself spent sew
eral years in travelling, when, after the
birth Of my little girl here" laying his
hand afIectionaly on the head of Sonora,
1--WE made up our minds to settle down
and devote our time and attention to
the son and daughter whose presence
had gladdened our hearts and home. !
then purchased our home in New York
for winter residence and our present
abode for q summer home, thus helping
to secure comfort and happiness for
those who were so dear to my heart
and whose presence and love have al
most filled the aching void occasioned
by the sorrow and grief of my youthful
days; so, children, you have now heard
the history of my life. Let me explain
to you why I have told it. have no
ticed Lodi particularly, and as Robert
has remarked, ! have also perceived {
striking resemblance to my brother
Georges portrait, which some of you
have seen hanging in the parlor Of th'
old homestead in Virginia, and which
was painted when he was quite young
have strong suspicious that this WON
an, whom Providence has thrown il
our way, is no less a parsonage than
Maggie Hewitt, my long lost sister,"
"Mereiful Heavens! Can this be pos
sible?' exclaimed Mrs. Summers. an,
husband was one of the little boys VIII,
was guest at your fathers house tb,
day that your sister was stolen. hav,
! often heard him relate the sad story an,
describe the grief of his sister Minnie n
she wept for the loss of her playmat,
= and her childish joy in the possession o
the gay scarf, as she would wind i


around her head in true gypsy style"
civilian Summers, then, was you
, husbands namel Why has this neve
crossed my mind before? My old play