Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1859-06-27
A Tale of Horror.

ABOUT lhNty years ago, Mr. Joseph st.
Clalr built cabin in Arkansas, far up to-
ward the head waters of White River
1t was then all wilderness around, and
game was abundant There was no lack
ol bear, catamounts, wolves and panthers.
In fact, that country was, at that date,
aperiect paradise for the practiced hunter.
| Mr. ST. Clair had no family other than
a young wife and one infant. He was
fond OF hunting, but he cultivated few
acres in corn and vegetables At first il
was fully ten miles TO his nearest neigh.
boris, but during the ensueng Spring, a
man named Williams made settlement,
within halfa mile ST, c., and The two fam
lies became neighbors and quite intimate.
Mr. Williams was man IN humble cir
cumstanees and large family, mostly Of
grown daugters, and no small childrcn.-
Ohe day in the month Of July, 1929, the
first Summer that Mr.. ST. Clair lived therel,
his wife was at home with the child, and
Mr. ST. Clair was oil with his gun About
~ o'clock in the morning size left her ba.
by asleep in the cradle, and went to the
field to gather beans for dinner. On her
return the child was gone. She, however,
leli no alarm, because she supposed that
her husband had come home during her
absence and had hidden somewhere about
the house with the child merely for a little
! fun so she busted herself in preparing din.
ner. In an hour or two her husband re,
turned from the woods bearing his gun
and young deer that he killed. and on
inquiry declared that he knew nothing.
They now supposed that one OF MIR.
Williams daughters had come in while
Mis-. ST. Clair was out, and finding the ba.
by of which she was very fond, she carried
1t home. This theory was to them quite
satisfactory, for there was no other neigh.
bors, and the child could not 20 away, un-
less carried. How else could it have han.
pened
Dinner being over. Mr.. st. Cla'r walked
over to the neighbor's, to bring back his
treasure of baby that Miss Lucy said
that she had not borrowed the baby-she
had not seen it that day. Mr.. st. Clair
was hard to be convinced that no one of
the family had taken the child, but all as
sured him that they knew nothing of it.
1t was now time to be alarmed. What
has become of the poor child ?" was his
exclamation, and he ran back home in
great agony. The mother, in like manner,
was almost frantic. They could not con.
ceive who had taken away their child.
Mr.. Willams's family joined in the grief,
but could afford no aid, no consolation.
Tney could invent no theory, nor devise
any plan by which the child haG, VA
any degree of probability, disappeared
Who was to take it away? Why would any
one wish to have 1t? They were utterly
at loss.
Finally it was remembered that occa.
sionally there were parties OF Cherokees
hunting through that country. Itwas now
surmised that they had happened to come
to the house while Mr., st. G. was in the
field and had stolen the child and carried
it away. This was at once received as
plausible and quite probable.
Earlier next morning Mr.. Stellar and
Mr.. Williams set out 10 seek for the Indi-
an camp, and Mrs st. C. was left alone
at home. She was sitting in silence, wee
ping tears of bitter anguish, such as none
but mothers ever shed, and wondering in
her heart what had become of her darling
baby. 1t was now about the hour of the
day on which she. the day previous, had
gone out.-Ere she was aware, large
panther, with a stealthy tread, came TO
the door and locked in EtowUrd the cradle.
Mrs, st. Clair screamed and he ran away.
The truth was now apparamt, and no new
light has ever been cast upon the subject.
Memphis appeal.