LOST RELATIVES FOUND.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 182, 8 April 1915, Page 8

LOST RELATIVES FOUND.

AN EXTRAORDINARY COINCIDENCE.' The February number of the Sunday nt Home contains an article by Mr. George -A. Wade entitled; "Acting as Host to* a Nation." describing the reception and treatment in England of the Belgian refugees. In the course of his contribution Mr. Wade narrates the following remarkable story:— There was a Welshman and his wife living in a country village a few miles from Cardiff. This God-fearing couple had not been blessed with a child, and •=.o, when the man read in the local paper that several Belgian refugees, including some orphan children, were.being brought', to Cardiff, and would want; homos, the- kind-Meartcd Welshman at once suggested to his wife that die go up to Cardiff and bring back with her a little parentless girl, whom they would adopt altogether as their own... ..-■ £j ..._ ; .;„ > .;- ; . The good woman went eagerly. B-.d she found a little disappointment ' awaiting lior there. For-no orphan'girl was available by herself in this way. There were one or two such boys, and one baby girl with a little brother, whom the authorities did not wish to | see-separated. The brave Welsh wife hesitated for a few moments. Her husband was only a working n*a.*:: two extra to feed, clothe and educate might almost prove too much for their meaiis. Then, however, her faith in i d triumphed, and site calmly decided she-would ad opt, the two. And so she set off with her new little 'son and daughter' to that home in. the country. "Her husband welcomed the twain gladly, much to her relief and pleasure. They gave the children a good tea, an.' in due time" began to get them ready 'f or bed. Of course neither of the little ones could speak or understand English, but the.y clearly recognised j that they had fallen amongst kind | friends. Then unexpectedly came the ' climax, the reward, for the noble deed j c-f this Welsh couple.' As the woman ' was"undressing the baby girl she no- | tired a locket hanging beneath the ; dress. She took it off and opened it eagerly; thinking that perhaps it might afford some clue to the children's identity. "It did! For in that very locket was a portrait—an unmistakable likeness —of the woman's own sister, wdio had gone abroad years previously --"' -.,- +'-"-.- li«d heard from "tner received, had married a Belgian! "And those two Orphans were actually the niece'and nephew (hitherto quite unknown to them!) of this very very couple in that remote Welsh village Who had thus so wondrously eho en them from the tens of thousands...o; refugees that had come to our shor< from Belgium!"