Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1859-05-28

For the Memphis Appeal
About thirty years ago Mr.. Joseph St Clair
built a cabin in Arkansas, far up toward the
head waters Of White river. Il was then all
a wilderness country for many miles around
and game was very abundant. There was no
lack ofbears, wolves, eatamounis and antbers
In fact, that country was, at that date, q per
feet paradise for The practieed hunter.
Mr.. St. Clair had no family, other than a
young wife and one infant. He was fond q
hunting, but he cultivated a few acres in corn
and vegetables. At first it was fully ten miles
to his nearest neighbours, but during tSe eBsu-
ing spring, a man named Williams made a set
tlement within a half mile OF St. clair's, and
the two families became ~neighbors, and guile
Intrinsic.
Mr.. Williams was a man in humble circum-
stances, and had a large family, mostly Of
grown daughters, but no small children. One
day in the month Of July, 1922, (the first sum
mer that Mr.. s.. Clair lived ihsrs,) bis wife
was at homs with The child, and Mr.. St. Clair
was of with his gun. About ten O'Clock in
the morning, she left her babe asleep in The
cradle, and went to the field 70 gather beans
for dinner. On her return the child was gone.
she, however, felt no alarm, because she sup
posed that her husband had come home during
her absence, and bad hidden somewhere about
the house with the child, merely for a little
fun. 50 she busted herself in preparing din
nrr. In on hour or two, her husband returned
from the woods, bearing bis gun and a young
deer that be had killed, and on inquiry. de-
clared that be knew nothing Of the child.
They now supposed that one Of Mr.. VIII
Iiams' daughters had come in while Mrs. St
Clair was OUT, and finding the baby, Of which
she was very fond, she had carried il home.
This theory was to them quite satisfactory,
for there were no other neighbors, and the
child could not 90 away unless carried. How
else could it have happened?
Dinner being over, Mr.. St. Clair walked
over 70 his neighbor's, to bring back his treas
urs Of a baby, that Miss Lucy had borrowed
thst morning. Miss Lucy said that she bad
not borrowed the bsby,-she had not seen It
thst day. Mr.. St. {. was bard to be COB
vireed that no one Of The family had taken the
child; but an assured him that they knew moth
ing Of q.
T. was now time to be alarmed. Whsi
has become Of the poor child? ?" was bis e1ela-
nation, and he ran back home in great agony
The mother in like manner was almost frantic
They could not conceive who had taken away
their child.
Mr.. Williams family Joined in the grief, but
could afford no aid-ho consolation They
could invent no theory, nor devise any plan, BY
which the child had. with any degree Of prob
ability, disappeared Who was there to take
it away2 Why would any one wish to have
It They were utterly at a loss.
Finally it was remembered that occasionally
there were parties Of Cherokees hunting through
that country. It WIS now surmised that they
had happened to come to the house while Mrs
S. c. was in the field, and had stolen the
child and carried Il away. This was at one'
received as plausible and quite probable.
Early the next morning, Mr.. s.. Clair End
Mr.. Williams set out 10 seek for the Indian
camp, and Mrs. St. c. was left alone, ct home,
she was sitting in silence, weeping teaTs Of
bitter anguish, sach as none but mothers ever
shed, and wondering in her heart what had be-
cone Of her darling babe. It was now about
the hour IL the day on which she, the DAY
previous, had gone out. Ere she was ware, .
large panther, with a sIealthy tread, came &c
the door, and looked in towards the empty era
die Mrs. s.. c. screamed, and be ran away
The fearful truth was now apparent, AID nc
new light has ever been cast upon the subject
MEMPHIS, NAY Il, 1859. s