Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1871-03-10
A STRANGE STORY.
To IL. Editor ofthc Chicago Tribune:

To the Editor ofthc Chicago Tribune:
In my recent tour in the West it was my FOR
tune to make the acquaintance Of lovely and
interesting young lady, whose story of sorrow
received from her own lips, and which is as fol-
lows. use her own language "My earliest
recollection is that was living in the city OF
Chicago with nv father and mother, who cast
but few restraints around me, as | was permit
ted to play with other children on the streets
OF that great city. One day while playing near
the wbarf,-and my only recollection OF him is
that as child, thought him tail-caugbt me
up from among my playmates, and took me up
on some kind of water craft that was just start
ing from the wharf. As he bore me ip his arms
upon the deck, heard my mother exclaim, from
among the children where she was looking for
me, My God, be has stolen my child i l
reached my arms toward her and began TO cry.
and was taken below, where | suppose | cried
myself to- sleep. My recollection Is that was
for long time upon the water, and the next al
my recollection is, | found myself in a sleigh
with the same man, who first took me from the
wharf. | suppose | must have been taken to
the sleigh while l slept, as | have no recolec-
tiOn of having been conveyed frOm the boat to
the sleigh. | was taken by this man to the
house of one Van Horn, in Maumee City, Ohio,
and think recolect that when we entered the
house there were persons therein playing cards.
! remained at Van Horns think, until the ext
spring, when they were going to take me TO the
a T.
about being taken to the poor-hnuse, told V an
Horn it was too bad for a child like me to be
sent to such a place and that he thought his
brother-in-law, Mr.. West, would be glad to Ia ke
me. So Mr.. Plank took me to his home, where
l remained for a few weeks, till Nj. and Mrs.
West came for me. I lived with these people,
think, until the next fail, when Mr.. Lewis
Van Tassel, the father of Mrs. West, took me
into bis family to live. ! remand there until
the next spring or fall and was then taken into
the family of Mr.. Ebenezer inchOs, at TOntOga-
ny, Wood County. Ohio, where 1 remained
about fourteen years, and until a short time
previous TO my removal here ito MOrrisovlle,
Christian County. Illinois,) with the family Of
a friend whose acquaintance had made shortly
after leaving MT. lnchOs. Mr.. lnchOs' people
had no children of their own, and have always
thought of and treated me as their own child,
and l am in continued correspondence with
them. have never seen Mr.. Van Horns peo-
Pile since | was taken from them, and have
never found anyone to interest themselves
in assisting me either TO find ny parents ar the
nime of the man who thus stule me from my
childhood home. | have no knowledge OF my
father and mother since was taken from them,
and although the hope of ever finding them my
self, or of friend 10 assist me In so doing, has
almost forsaken me, still the yearning of my
heart to again zee them is actively alive, and ]
often weep when think that though possibly
they may be near me now, have not the as
sstance, experience, or means To attempt the re-
slization Of that which bas been the earnest
prayer of my life."
The name of this young lady, who possesses
accomplishments beyond those Of many who |
have had the care of kind parents, is Alice Jane
Travis her name she has never forgotten, and |
she supposes herself to he now about 22 years
old, though Of her real age she is not positive.
She thinks her mothers name was Ann, though |
she is not certain. She Is quite positive that
her home was in Chicago, though she says II is
possible Il was some other lake port She says
she has always told the same story from little
child, and is quite sure il Is correct.
When assured that wonld endeavor 70 take
steps to try and find her long lost frends, she
seemed delighted, aud hope again beamed from
that countenance where loneliness had long
since esta blished its throne. ] send to you this
plain, unvarnished story of this young lady,
trusting that through your widely circulating
paper you will give publicity to these facts,
and hoping still furthur that yonr numerous
may likewise interest themselves
IN bebalfof one 80 long q sufferer, by giving the
Iame a general circulation, that peradventure
i may reach the eye OF the parents, and they
hereby reclaim their long lost child and she be
restored IN loving friends. Il, A, Is,
GRAND RAriDs, Feb. 2S, 1871, |