The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1827-06-28
From The Western M1gpriae and Rerielp.
THE LOSl CHILD.

Public feeling IN Loeisana, Mississippi and
Arkansas, has been prodigiously excited, during
the pas winter by mysterious and meNpAca
bic catastrophe, which has eNcit d in It's ii more
harI owing int rest, than any tale OF hcuctDns
distress. The following circumstances wee
CLEANED fom the urnais, the accounts OF dit
terunt pers NJ. ~ no convcIscd With the parties.
and are corrected from long conversation With
the sheriff at hatcher, who was Obliged by ms
official duties to see much Of the father and mo
thor of ,he loSt!chld, aud 10 attend the trial II
the person. arrested on suspicion of beng con
erned ia sstea.ing the ChEd, aud under whose
care and inspection he tel, whle in prison.
That gentleman was Obigng enough TO COM
munIcate To the writer many details of great in
crest. which are necessarily precIuded in the
1revIty ofthis narration.
Something more than year ago, the ouly
mud of Mr. Clark, Of Hem ,steai county, ter
ltory OF Arkansas, fine boy OF / years. dlsap-
scared nom the scene OF hIS morning play, near
tae house OF hls parents, aud could no where be
9Hn1. 4 little negro hoy had been playing
with him, and related that two men on horse
back cane upon them, and that one Of them a
ighted took up the child, and carried him off
Inc parents were sober, respectable, aud com
aratlFely aillnent Ii IS country of dark for
st aud immense pralrics; and wolves, bears,
ieren, tribes ofIndlan, hunt ia the vicinity The
affection Of these parents for their emily child was
such, as would be naturally expected. and no
etlor OF the imagination is ncccss ary 10 concc,e
the anxiety and agony .: then suspense. Inc
honest hearted people about them, though not
gwen TO eloquent desc ipton ot their feelings in
such cases, expressed more uuquestionablc
sympathy by turning out en- HjpSge and sCuur-
mg the forests, prairleS, and barous in every
direction The agonlzins father followed "a man
who preceded hIma day or two as WAS rppor-,
ted, carrying a child with hin un horseback.
After pursuit Of three hundred miles, he aseei
tanned. III the bitterness Of disappointment. that
the child was not ms. livery ex ation, made
10 find the child was 10 no purpose Thc Ia
ther rode in different directions thousands of
miles Advertisements promises Of ample re-
ward, the sustained search of hundreds OF peo-
pie, were alike unavalling. to furnish a vcStige
OF the child, on the slightest clue to stimulate 10
nope, and further exertion. After search of
months, the feelings OF the parents, homthe ma
tuial eject OF time and disappointment, settled
down to the calm OF resignation and despair.
and they mourned for their chIld. as dead. II
WIN DE easy to conceive, that IT was not the tram
gun mourning of parents, who have seen their
thila IN ITS sInlcss innocence buried under the
eiodS OF the valley. The agony of suspense, the
teFerish efforts OF imagination. excited 10 aciy.
NY ny Tie undesirable tenderness of parental
auction, and still fdshionine new and more hor-
'ioie cal'stroPhes, especially nj particular pc
f'odS oil The day, or the eyening-irom this they
eou'u only be delivered, by finding their child
OF becoming acquainted with his doom They
haa NOT eHent1e sad satisfaction of the patri
Tch,ot hndlng the bloody clothes of their lost
emu ny winch, suspense might be terminated
III INC convection, that an evil beast had de-
vourcd him.
oo'he time iastwinter the father received n
.e''ef, mailed at the Natchez post office, inform
iS nun mat hey would enclose fifty dollars in
d ie''ei 10 the writer, and would send the mo.
'''' Vi 'ne enid, unaccompaned by any other
sun, 10 certain house in Arkansas which
ne oe>ighated, with two hundred dollars more
','e writer engaged. thata certain woman in the
mated house should deliver up the child 10
IT'S i,otler. This letter was written in gentle.
'"',ai'y hand, and signed Thomas Tutty,'
i"e plan OF the distracted parents was settled
=! "ufice OF many respectable people in Lou.
s'ana' who entered warmly into their feelinps
y ieoef stating all the circumstances of the case
&c Written TO the post master at Natcbez
r,'o''ti' agreeable 10 all the requirements of
~ ana enclosing bank notc of fifty dol.
Ms 49, addressed 70 him. In the letter 70 The