Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1859-12-09
md then went home discouraged.

!, and then went home discouraged.
On the l1th of the present month, mo
vember) Mr. William Brayton, the oldest
brother Of tho missing boy, and the one
) who had accompanied him on that memo
rable cattle hunting expedition, called on
; us. He expressed bis firm determination
not to return until he had seen the "Indian
captive" ard satisfied himself in the mat
: ter. Having received instructions what
course to pursue, he started for Eric, and
!, soon got on the trail of the "Indiau captive"
+, On Tuesday, the 9Th inst, a farmer of
New York State, just across the Pennsyl-
vania line, drove over to Sugar Grove, where
J the "captive" was staying, and took him
over to his house for short stay. He had
been gone but short time, when paper
was received in Sugar Grove, noticing the
search instituted by the Braytons. A doc
: tor of the place Immediately wrote a letter
5 to the family, Just after it was mailed,
5 Mr. William Brayton arrived, learned the
, course taken by the man of whom he was
in search, and at once started after him.
FOUND AT LAST.
/, When VIM. Brayton set out from home
in search of the 1ndian captive" his faith
er imposed on him the necessity of looking
out for two marks by which the lost broth
: er could be identified. One was a scar on
the top of the head caused by the cut of a
; razor which the father had made in lancing
a boil, and the other was a scar on the great
= toe of the right foot, resulting from the cut
; Of an axe.
, When VIM. Brayton reached the farm
- er's house to which the "Indian captive" had
gone, it had become dusk. On arriving
he merely expressed his wish to see the "In-
L dian" without stating the object of the in
tcrview. As he entered the room his heart
n beat with anxiety. Hope and fear agitated
c him, for there sat the object of his search,
= aud few moments would either end the
7, suspense and agony of thirty-four years, or
It add the bitter pangs of disappointment.
v A light was brought The agitated old
l. or brother looked anxiously at the man, who
y returned his gaze with surprise not unmixed
} with apprehension. The featares and form
n of the Indian strengthened his hopes
o William at once resolved to put an end to
- both his hopes and fears, and bade the 9TH
/ er sit down and take off his cap, then care
d fully parting the hair-there WdS the scar
is plainly visible, exactly in the spot described
:, by the father, and unmstakable in its char
h. acter With quivering voice William
re told the other to pull off his right boot
Iy The foot was laid bare, and there, on tn,
- great Voc, not so strongly marked as in tn
p other case, but clearly dscernible, was tn
te scar. Almost afraid to trust his own eyes
er William called in a doctor, who at onct
: pointed out the scars, and showed that they
of were undoubtedly caused by sharp instru
st ments.
7e There could be no mistake about it now
re The brother-lost perhaps through tn
if thoughtlessness Of Wm. Brayton when
ne boy-was discovered by his means afte
ht thirty-tour years of anxiety and suffering
10 Even then William would not commit him
IL self too far, but told the newly found broth
le er that he would take him home and awai
le the decision of the father The younge
o. brother was at once eager to start. A lette
be was sent home, giving the glad news, an(
n as soon as practicable the two set out in tn
ID same direction.
es They passed through this city withou
as more than a few minutes delay, merely leav
o. ing word for us in passing, of the successfu
3" result of the search. AT Clyde, wher
they changed cars for Carey, the utmos
he excitement reigned, and the throng to Sc
rs, the returned "Indian captive" was so grea
k that he could scarcely find breathing room
re An old man there came forward, exam
aw ined him closely, and declared his belle
tbof ha bn boy-
%. the Pottawatomie Indians in Illinois, thirt
ed years ago.
to At every station on the road hom
ew crowds gathered, and at Carey, where the
of were expected to stop, hundreds were co
to lected. Old men who had searched for tn
he lost boy-aged mothers who had held hi
in their arms-young men who had heal
er- the story narrated by their parents. Buttl
ne couple stopped five miles north of Carey
ID, Oregon station, and at once started for Wu
. Brayton's house.
of Here the family was gathered. The ol
ra- man, 73 years of age, hale and vigorous
he the brothers and the sisters. When the G
he dest brother entered with his charge the i
,ir- tense feeling that pervadcd the hearts
zee all in the room can scarcely be imagined
or cannot be described. The old father aros
err placed his hand on the head of the stra
re- ger, and searched for the scar, which
in could scarcely see through the mist tn
the filled his eyes. Then he knelt to examil
AT the foot. For a moment every breath W
,et, hushed and the hearts of the other rel
tives almost ceased to beat. Then the O
lad man tottered to his feet and with a gush
va tears-the streams of affection which h
- been pent up for "a years-fell on the ne
ort of his son-Matthew Brayton 1t is u,
ries less to attempt description of the see
no that followed. The father that had so lo
.oss secretly mourued for his chiId-the hous
tier hold pet; the brother who never forgot tn
DIN it was from his company the little boy b
strayed away to oamysterious fate the seco
nth brother who had been his playmate; t
;yo sisters who had fondled their little broth
,on in iufancy--all were gathered to share
oyi that happy meeting. If one other cou
fter have been present Ifthe mother who h
Iod in silent sorrow descended to the gra
Nth. M could have been spared to see this d,
Tho then indeed the cup of happiness wou
tor- have been full to overhowing.
lost The news of the return spread like wi
ries fire. The return WAS on Thursday the I
,aid inst. For the next four days the house v
l..soo.ol l.,