AFTER MANY YEARS

Waikato Times, Volume 89, Issue 13816, 22 July 1918, Page 6

AFTER MANY YEARS

ROMANTIC INCIDENT ON THE QUAY. Seme weeks ago an Australian soldier, who was visiting Wellington, found himself about half way along Larabton Quay at lunch time, and feeling peckish he made to look for some place of refreshment. At the very moment- of his decision his eye caught that of a young lady, and prompted by some instinct he could not explain himself, he addressed her. "Excuse me, miss," he said, "I'm a stranger here. Could you tell me where 1 could get a decent meal?" The lady, who was a little taken aback at first at being suddenly addressed by a man in khaki, pulled herself together (as she afterwards explained it), and informed the stranger that if he continued down the street a little he would find a restaurant. "I don't know this town," said the. soldier. "Would you mind if I walked with you as far as the place?" The lady was beginning to think that the "plot was thickening," but consoling herself "with the thought that it Only meant a hundred yards' walk to the restaurant, she complied cheerfully enough. So they walked on. They had not, however, proceeded more than ten yards when the soldier, much to the lady's surprise, said, with some hesitation: "I hope you won't think I'm rude, miss, but would you mind telling me your name?" j After taking a moment to recover! from her surprise, she gave him her name. "Do you know," he said, "you must be my sister! " The rest of the little scene may well be left to the imagination. He was right—she was his sister. Years ago, when but a lad, he had run away to sea from his home in an Australian city. He remained away from Australia for some years, and when at last he returned and attempted to find his family, he found that they had gone away somewhere; nobody knew where, and he had never been able to find a trace of thm until the psychological impnlsed him to speak to his own sister on Lambton Quay. The family had come to New Zealand, and settled in Wellington. —Dominion.