Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1866-10-27
LOST ANm FOUND.
Thirty YemPs Captivity Among
ehe 0nllt0Ro.

FROM t1e SacAreu, NsAsSu.t SittkSu
Thirty years ago, when Jackson MAS
little hamlet or 200 or 800 persons, . young
woman night have been seen, one sui.ry
day in August, accompanied by little boy
Eve ycas old. vending her way towards =
grove in the neighboring town Of Blackman,
for che purpose Of engaging in the then CON-
mon paseime Of picking berries. The
young woman after toiIing away for while,
became annoyed with the eeaselcss impor
tuni,ics Of the child. and sent him home
She thought nothing more Of the matter All,
upon her return In the evening, she was
surprised 10 End that the boy had not re-
turned In reply to the queries OF the ark
ious parents. the girl raIated the circuni-
stances usrrsted above, and added that she
nee ,.othioe Of the whsresbouis OF the
child. Day after day passed. nnd still the
missins member Of that distracted family
ala not return, nor could any tidings OF HIM
be heard by his agonixed parents. Finally,
afier every searching parry Who wen. out to
find the missing one had returned and
reported their mission iruitlcss, and after
sli hspe Of ever seeing their darling boy
again had vanished from the minds of the
afflicted parents, suspicion begsn 70 'ss'cn
upon the young woman, who Was servant
in the family. She again asserted he, inno-
csnee. asd staisd that she knew nothing Of
the missing boy from the time she had sent
him homewsrd. In spite Of Ter pretesta'
tions, however, she was arrested for he
murder Of the boy and incarcerated in the
rude lock up which had bcen erected BY the
early settlers. Here she WAS kept for time
ill II becams apparent that no evidence
against her could be obtained. still asserting
her innocence 10 the parents Of the child,
Who longed for some tidings that would
dispe, the uncertainty which hung over them
like cloui. Their hopes we're doomed TO
disappointment, however, as nothing uld
be heard Of the missing one, and he was
finally mum bcred with the dead, the parents
giving up al hopes Of ever hearing from
their lost hoy again.
Years passed. and the little hamlet became
q large and furnishing city The solitude
which formerly relgned on the banks II the
Grand river was broken by the m.chan'c
and The artisan, aud the cir resounded with
ths busy hum Of industry. Nearly > the
old settlers had passed away. and another
gensrotioa succeeded them. Among the
many new Corners wa . son-in.law of the
afflicted family. Mr. J. 4. Ballard, our &c low
townsman, who was greatly surpsis ed fes
days kince, 10 learn that the bow. who hat
.. long been numbered with the dead hat
arrived in the southesn part Of this state
! and Was making Inquiries after his family
. The boy had grown to he stalwart man Vi
. 30. His countenancs had become brOnxet
by continuous exposure 10 the elements. ant
HE sinewy frame hardened by repeated
; adventures In the wostern Wilds. lie stated
J that he had but . dim recollection Of hi
former home, but wildly remembered tn
. time when tw0 staswast forms with rel Wis
ages crosscd his path. snstched him up il
! their arms and casvivd hiia of amidst hi
. pi,eous cries for his loving mother. Sine
! that time no has been constantly with tn
Indians, Joined them in tier hunt,nl
: expeditions, and followed their trail a. the!
iours,eysd tO~as.. the citing sun. III
learned 70 spesk the language Of the Potta
watsnies-tor that WAS the name Of tn
tsibs With whom the greater pat Of his l'f
had been spent-and in answer to hi
= repeated inquiries, his captors told him thu
. they had stolen him from jackson county
Z ., d that his name was Wiley. The Indian
. COMPOUNDED his name with Fiily, which j
tho real ramc Of his father. Mr.. Bsllar,
vent In quest Of the missing one. and upo'
arriving ct the place where lie had beef
; making inq 1iries, was told that he bad gon
{ away, but would return in few days, wheI
. he will proceed TO the homo II his age,
parents, TO make glad the hearts OF Al
afflicted father and mother.