REAL LIFE DRAMA

Greymouth Evening Star, 26 June 1928, Page 8

REAL LIFE DRAMA

FATHER WHO FOUND CHILD. A strange story, related by a Jewish rabbi, comes from Warsaw. It is iihat of a middle-aged man who became engaged to a, girl who was no other than his own daughter. Recently the rabbi received a visit, from a man. who gave his name as Vachum Levental, and announced that he wanted to get married. The date of the wedding was fixed, and the rabbi awaited the arrival of the couple. They did not come. In the evening, when he was at dinner, Vadium Levental arrived, accompanied by a young woman, and related a remarkable story. He explained that he was of Polish origin, and had lived many years at Johannesburg, where he had made a. fortune When he was a. student at Warsaw University he courted the daughter of a wealthy commercial man, and wanted to marry her. But her father, who wanted his daughter to marry a rich man, would not accept tihe poor student as a son-in-law, and sent him about his business.

But "Vachum Levental -was firmly determined t.o marry the girl of his choice, and, defying the mercenary merchant, he carried her off to Germany and married her there. He had yet to reckon with his father-in-law, who put the police on the track of the fugitives. The runaway couple -were arrested. The young wife was brought back to Warsaw to her family, and her husband was put in prison. Then a t ragic event occurred. The young wife gave birth to a child, a girl, and died. Vachum Levental was released from prison, and when he learnt, of the misfortune that had befallen him, he left Euiope and settled in South Africa. He was fortunate at the gold mines.. When, after many years, he became a rich man, the longing seized him to return to Warsaw. Tie had not forgotten his dead wife, and he made it his business to seek out the child whom he had never known. All .he knew was that his wile’s parents had died years ago, and that their grandchild' had been adopted by a family who resided in the outskirts of Warsaw. Vadhum Levental searched for his daughter in vain. Weary and lonely in the world he decided to marry again. He made the acquaintance of a young woman, and after a short courtship the wedding day was fixed. Before the marriage Vachum Levental and his fiancee visited the grave of his first wife. As soon as the'girl read the name on the tombstone, she broke into tears, and shouted, “Mamma, mamma ” It was then that Vachum Levental realised that he had found his daughter, whom he had searchedfor in vain. She had been reared in the name of her adopted parents, and her mother had been buried in her maiden name. The man made his excuses to the rabbi for having put him to inconvenience. He was supremely happy. He had lost 'his fiancee, -but he had found his daughter. There and then the rabbi offered up a. prayer of thanksgiving, in which father and . daughter joined.