The Cairo evening bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1868-1870, 1869-11-22
A WONDERFUL JOURNEY.
AaEvEN YEAR OLD BOY WALKS TWO
THOUSAND NILES WITH CRAZY
FATHER.
A Remarkable trip from Cairo 10 call
fornta.

| fOrnta.
Many Of our local readers will be able
TO recall memory Of one Samuel II.
Johnson, an individual who wore per.
feet shock ofred hair, and delighted in
the sobriquet of professor" Although
| not . resident of the i'm me diate city, he
was dali In our streets; and by his quaint
| ways, strange and som Ell IN 90 incohere n /
expressions, attracted considerable at.
tention. Those who knew him we'll
knsw his mind to be bordering on insan.
ity, whilst others, probably, ascribsd his
Irregular demeanor and rambling
speech toan eccentric nature. He some.
times appeared In our streets bare.headed
and frequently bare footed, treating all
who approached him. with due courtesy !:
but permitting familiarity on the part Of
none.
Early last summer the Professor"
without any preparation, and even with.
out announcing his purpose to his wife,
left home, taking with him q little son,
aged about seven years A day or two
was permitted to pas by, the
wife and mother anticipating an
early return Of the husband and
child; but a. they came not, she
Instituted inquiry as to their wheres-
bouts. Although understanding the
unsettled coalition Of the husband's mind
she never believed for q moment that he
had sum msrily disposed OF himself, and
ba "a >Dns lv = ~ thA ~ S.t =,
the ichild. Weeks and months passed,
yet no tdings came of the absent ones.
II could not even be ascertained BY what
conveyance they had left the city.
They had departed with such cloth.
Ing a. they had on their persons, and II
the Professor" had any money, his
wife was not aware Of the fact.
A few weeks ago Mrs r. received .
letter from DIR. Taggart, ct Salt Lake
City, enclosing 10 her . paragraph
clipped from California pa.
per. This paragraph announ.
ad that man, answering
the description OF her husband, accom-
panied by seven year old boy, had
been arrested ss an insane person, near
Sacramento, California. He wAs ragged
and travel-worn. and the little hoy was
In n condition equally pitiabls. The
whole distance from Cairo TO California
had been made by then, on foot. They
had travelled steadily, begging food on
the way, sometimes fasting and thirst.
Ing for days, Sutoont.nuipg their journey
the while, as IL the route abounded ia
sxtravagant plenty. The Professor"
fornia was indeed . land OF gold, exerted
a superhuman strength, carrying the
boy In lils arms for hours after the lads
wearied legs had refused to support him
further. Night aud day, week after
week, the Journey was pursued, until the
gap bAtween them and home had WIDEN
ed out 10 . distance or more than two
thousand miles, closing the last day
with a walk OF over hirty-mRes. Stop.
ping for food and rest at . residence Q ,
few miles distant from Sacramento, the /
Professor" betrayed such unmistakable /
evidences OF insanity that the imam |
OF the housew felt called upon, in the I
Va W RtpP'
erly provided for. The following day |
jury OF inquest was Unparalleled, and
upon their verdict the "Professor" wa
admitted into the Stockton Insane Asy-
lum, where he nowis. 49,
These facts being communicated BY the
newspaper paragraph spoken OF, the
relatives OF the unfortunate man placed
In correspondence with the |
keeper OF the Asylum, and BY = recent
mail receiveda photograph Of tho ''Pro. .
fessor" which any one, who knows him,
will recognize at sight The little boy
speaks Of affectionats and parental treat !
ment during the long and laborious !
journey, and of the fathers frequent and .
remarkable self.denisi, for hi, comfort.
We question il much II there Is anoth.
or seven year old boy living, who has
made, on foot, . continuous journey Of
two thousand miles-no one, certainly, |
In charge ola crazy father.
OF the purpose OF the relatives, now
that they HAYS ascertsined the where
abouts OF the "Professor' and his little
boy, we have not been advised. For the
time being, at least, he had better re-
main where he IT,