TRAGIC HOME-COMING

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XL, Issue 9198, 8 January 1920, Page 5

TRAGIC HOME-COMING

: • SIDNEY, Decombcr 31. The story of Francis Joseph Rutherford is one of life's dTama-s.' Born ;at Gouiburn (New South Wales) 67 yeai-s ago, and a butcher: by occupation, be left home in 1882 and! went to South Africa, leaving hero a wife and -youngfamily. Then came news that he was in r'tho fmng .liiio with . the British Army in., the- ;Boer ■ ■ War.-! Upbii receipt' of a message that he had beea k-iHed in .action, his. wife and family v.;cVnf into mourning. But the great silence that had engulfed the man. was broken on Christmas Day. His wife, who. lias. been living a-s a widow .since his supposed death, and) his now grown-up family had just finished thoir Christmas dinner when a iigure appeared'at the door. It was" Francis Joseph Rutherford. He stood in front of the bewildered family, but thoy did not recognise him. Time evidently had brought, its changes. He >-poP"c to theiu, but they regarded him as a granger, and there was no familiarily in the talk that pasbotl. Turning abruptly, Rutherfoi'd walkedl cut of the house.

A few minutes later a stranger pacing by found him on the pavement in. front of the gate. Alongside him was a bottle which hnd contained, pot-on. He was admitted in a dying condition to the Royal Prince Aifred Hospital His wife, finally lvcoLinising him, followed him to the hospital, and sat by him until he died.