The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1845-03-12
LOST BOY FOUND

rusing the many and various works of fiction
that issue from the public press at the present
day, none will be found more full Of interest,
or tending more to display the wonderful
workings of experimenting Providence, than
the remarkable incidents in the history of a
: Lost Child, recently reclaimed from the wes-
tern savages by its bereaved parents.
| In 1885, Mr.. Ammi Filey, Of Windsor, CT.
! (havlug in 1881 married daughter Of Capt.
William Marvin, of Granville, Mass remov-
ed With his family TO the town of Jackson, in
the State of Michigan. In this town, then a
wilderness, he located himself, and by his in
dusrry and economy he soon found himself in
possession of a productive and profitable farm;
and by the accession of settlers, the town be-
came Dopulous s. fourishins. Although in the
vicinity of numerous tribes Of savages. and
often visited by wandering families Of the ma
tives, vet all was peace and quietness, and ev-
e.ything conspired 10 render there abode plea
SAINT and happy.
On the Sd of August, 1887, his little son,
then child of five years old, went out to
swamp in the vicinity of their dwelling,
with hired girl TO gather whortleberries.
The swamp was in the direction from MIR.
FiIley's to the dwelling ofMr. Mona, the
father of the girl, whittier they expected
to 90 to spend highland the scene Of
their tolls was about mile from the house
of the former and some twenty or thirty
rods from the dwelling of the latter. Hav-
ing satisfied himself with picking berries,
the child discovered desire to return,
whereupon the girl conducted him to the
road, and placed him in the direction to
the house of MIR. Mount-not doubling,
as the house was in plain sight and only
few rods distant, but the litlle fellow
would reach it in perfect safety. The
girl returned to the swamp, and after COM
pleting her supply of berries, went home
to the house of her father and found to
her astonishment, as we'll as that of the
family, that William had not arrived.
Notice was Immediately communicated to
the parents, an alarm given through the
settlement, and the whole population rush.
ed at once to the assistance and relief OF
the almost distracted parents. Day and
night for more than Il week, witnessed the
praiseworthy exertions OF his neighbors,
and the whole country, in every direction
to an extent of more than twenty miles,
was searched with untiring vigilance
Every pond and stream Of water was ex.
amined nd dragged, and every rod ui
ground scrutinzed, for many successive
days, but no trace could be discovered OF
the absent child. As all inducement to
continue the search, notice Of the even,
was published in the papers, and Mr.
Filley offered reward of two hundred
dollars for the recovery of the child, either
dead or alive. As suspicious were enter
tanned that foul play had been practiced
by the Indians, enquiries were made of the
different tribes and families in the vi
cinity, and pecuniary offers rendered &c
their chefs and influential men, and Mr..
Filley himself trayersed for months the
wilds of Michigan, Wisconsin and Iowa
but his efforts proved vain. No discovery
could be made, and no tidings had, and
he returned to his heart-broked family
with the sad reflection that their LITTLE
William i1ds lost
For seven long years this stricken Fam.
which seldom falls to the lot of human
nature to submit to months of vanity and
wearisome nights were appointed to them.
If the shaft of death had smitten down
this, their first born son, and they had pas
sed through the funeral solemnities, and
seen him laid in the grave of their own
church yard, time would have tempered
their grief, and mitigated the anguish oI
their bereavement But the painful suspense
the uncertainty that hung over his fate
was an abiding sorrow, which time could
not soften, and earth had no balm to heal.
As time rolled on, hope became extin'
quished, but William was not forgotten
The mournful event, with its aggravatins
circumstances, was corrodng cankel
upon every comfort of the family-a fata
disease seized the mother, and she sunk
into an untimely grave.
Since the decease Of his wife, Mr.. Fill
ley has visited Connecticut, the place
ofhis nativity, and while here, by mys
terious course of events beyond the com
prehension of human wisdom to fathom, hi
long lost child has appeared, and been re
stored to his fond embraces.