WOOED HIS OWN DAUGHTER.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8333, 3 June 1905, Page 4

WOOED HIS OWN DAUGHTER.

NEMESIS OF A DESERTION TWENTY YEARS AGO. A remarkable affair, reminiscent of the old Greek tragedies, has occurred at Appenaell, in Switzerland. Nearly twenty years ago a young Swiss commercial traveller named Muller deserted his wife and infant daughter, and emigrated to Mexico, where he succeeded in amassing a considerable fortune. During his absence his wife died, and the little girl was adopted by a farmer of Appenzell named Schloss. The child assumed the name of Schloss, and was generally regarded in the district as the farmer's own daughter. A year ago her father, who called himself Ilfelder after leaving his native country, ©old out his business in Mexico and returned to Appenzell. He was informed, and naturally believed, that both his wife and child were long since dead. Later, he met his daughter, and, ignorant of her identity, fell in love with her-. ' She is now nearly twenty years old, while he is forty-one. For four months the returned wanderer wooed the girl with her consent. It was only when he asked the approval of the farmer Schloss that he learned t-Ae girl's history, and recognised that he had won the hand of his own daughter. Rushing from the house, he travelled at one© to Bale, whence lie wrote to the farmer confessing everything, and placing £3000 to the girl's credit in a Zurich bank. Nothing more has been heard of him, and his daughter is heartbroken.