A PRODIGAL'S RETURN. An Old Man Robbed by a Clever Swindler.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 194, 12 March 1887, Page 3 (Supplement)

A PRODIGAL'S RETURN. An Old Man Robbed by a Clever Swindler.

Deipztown is made up of about a dozen farmhou?es, and ib named after the first settler in the place, Joeiah Deifz, who was known to be well fixed financially. The Deitz family is composed of Joaiah, hie wife and son, who was inclined to leac 1 an erratic life. Josiah, jr., or young Jose, as he was known on the farm, had an antipathy for farm life, and repeatedly threatened to run away from hcme. Ne attention was p<\id to his threats, but Jobs left suddenly | abont «eventeen years ago. No one know whither he had gone Nothing was j heard of him for nearly five yeare, when j a letter dated New York was received, j giving a brief account/ of his waaderings and etating that ho was off for the West. The tone of the letter throughout was different, and while the boy's absence bore heavily on his mother, his father being j very resolute, was inclined to let him see the result of hie folly rather thar urge his return home. Nothing was further heard from him, and all hope of his return had been given up. He was believed to be dead until last Sunday, afc an early hour, a stranger came to Deitztown and inquired for the Deitz family. The young man had a neat appearance, was i well dressed, and gave evidence of a collegiate education. He soon reached the Deitz residence and introduced himself as their missing son. The farmer received the boy fondly and the old mother was overcome with emotion. The long-lost boy was for several days kept busy giving a detailed account of his wanderings, and then surprised the old couple by eaying he had recently been married in Chicago and that his wife, who stopped off a day to see a friend, would soon arrive. Meanwhile the unsuspecting farmer kept nothing from his wayward eon. He was very prosperous and owned several farms, could lay his hand on a large sum of money m five minutes, and generously offered the hospitalty of the house to Joss and his bride for any length of time. Jose, however, was reticent about his old farm friends and neighbours, and felt more disposed to remain indoors than subject himself to critical inspection. The second day he started away to meet his hride, and after a short absence returned with the wife. Another happy meeting took place. Ab night approached the bride f eigned fatigue after her trip, and both retired early, followed shortly afterward by the old couple. By thia time Joss discovered the v hereabouts of the money, and their early retirement waß not for rest, but for the purpose of giving them more time to consummate their plans for robbery and escape. The morning dawned, but Jos?, hia female accomplice, and 5,000d101s in cash were gone. The old man did not go to the eon's room until 9 o'clock, when he found the room door open and the pair gone. So was his money. The old man found on the table a note saying : Dear Father : Gool-bye for seventeen yeare mote. Jo 9°. The old folks are inclined to think it waß not Joss at all, but some sleek professional who learned the family history and played on their trusting credulity, -