A ROMANCE OF THE AMERICAN WAR.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5215, 8 December 1877, Page 2 (Supplement)

A ROMANCE OF THE AMERICAN WAR.

(From the S. F. Bulletin, October 18.

A very interesting romance in real life was developed here last week, demonstrating the fact again that truth is stranger than fiction. Without going into the details, it is the finding of a father by his son after a separation of fifteen years, under the following circumstances :—During the third year of the wav a soldier named William Kneale, a member of Captain McPherson's Company, Sixteenth New York Cavalry, was on duty in this city. He sent after his wife and child, who resided in Rochester, New York, and they came here on a visit. Soon after arriving Kneale was ordered to the front. He left his small family in a boarding-house here, expecting to be able to return soon. He did not return, however, and in a couple of months Mrs. Kneale took sick and died in an hospital here. She told the nurse that her name was Kneale. The nurse understood it to be Neal or Neil, and search was made, and a number of soldiers of that name written to, but none of them was the. man that was wanted. When she died Mrs. Kneale had a child, a boy four months old. It was taken care of, and every effort made to find its father, but not having its right name it was impossible to do so. The boy was kept by some ladies, who conceived the idea of starting a soldiers and sailors' orphan home, to care for such children. They got an appropriation from Congress, and started the home with Willie Kneale. He has been in the home ever since, and when he left last week the parting scene was a very interesting one. It was not long before the home had a large number of orphans to provide for,' and a larger building was soon found to be necessary. As Willie grew up he inquired frequently about his parents, and was only able to learn that his mother died in an hospital here, and that the whereabouts of his father was unknown. It was known that Mrs. Kneale told someone that she belonged to Rochester, New York, and was married by a clergyman named Johnson. With this information the work of finding the father of Willie began. About a month ago it was learned that a man named Kneale lived in Rochester. He was written to, and proved to be the father of Willie. It appears that he had been endeavoring in every conceivable way for the past ten years to find his boy, but without success, and had finally given up all hope of ever again being able to find bis son. He had heard that his wife had died. About seven yeais since he remarried. Letters passed, and everything being satisfactory Willie started for Rochester last week. He has since written to the Home, telling how glad he was at finding his father, who is an industrious and well-to-do carpenter, carrying on business in Rochester.