Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1871-03-14
From the Abingdon Virginian of March 3rd
1871.
KATY SAGE, THE LOST CHILD.
Interesting Narrative.

| AAAA L OANG, LIE AVNx Cd1LU.
Interesting Narrative.
For several months past, we have been in
sertlng on the first page of the Virginian, eacl
week, an original article, upon some subject o
interest to our readers, and among them mar
ratives Of Indian depredations upon the earl,
settlers of Southwestern Virginia. The follow
ing incidents, for the particulars of which w
are indebted to DR.. JAS w. Sage, of Lee
county, are more thrillingly and sadly interest
ing than anything we have yet published upo1
the subject of the troubles of the first settler
to this once wild and romantic, but now quie
and beautiful country.
Katy Sage was the daughter of Jas. and Lows
| Sage, who lived on Elk Creek in what is nov
Grayson county, in 1892. The morning of The
lth OF April in that year was bright ano
balmy, the early wild flowers were bursting in
to bloom, the song-birds were trilling theil
melody in the budding forest, the bespangled
trout were sporting in the crystal waters of the
mountain stream, and all was peaceful and joy
Gus around the cabin Of the pioneer. The hus-
band and father was preparing his clearing for
the Summer crop, and the wife and mother ar
ranging for the days washing She had gone
to the creek near by to build a fire, leaving Ka-
ty, then only five years old. chasing butterflies
starting the fire, the mother returned to the
house for the clothes she intended to wash,
when she missed the child she had left sport
ing IN the garden short time before. After
a diligent search for some little distance around
the enclosure, she became alarmed and called
her husband from the field, and they both
sought the missing little one till night fell upon
the scene and still no tidings. The weary
hours OF the night rolled on, the agonized pa
rents still calling, but no answer came to cheer
their hearts. On the morrow the neighbors
gathered H. the country at that day being
sparsely populated, but some so or 60 of them
came together, and for weeks searched every
cave and thicket and mountain-side, and still
no tidings of the little wanderer.
At last all gave up the search except the
father, who continued it for months, passing
over nearly every square yard of ground for
miles around, with the melancholy hope at
least that the bones of the child might be
found, which would be more satisfactory than
the agonizlng suspense. In his wanderings he
heard OF the fame OF an old woman known by
the name of Granny Moses, who lived beyond
the mountain in North Carolina, and who was
believed to possess the faculty of revealing all
mysteries and fore-teing future events. He
sought her out and consulted her. After con-
sulting her occult sciences, she informed him
that the child was still living, but that be would
never see or hear of her. but that his wife,
who would survive him, would hear from, but
would not see her, in her old age.
Time wore on, thirty-one years had passed.
and in 1923 the father died, and still no tidings
of the lost one. Time was still on the wing,
and amid the changes and vicsstudcs and
startling events, the mysterious disappearance
OF Katy Sage was unrevealed. In the mean
time the family became scattered-one of the
-
Samuel, another brother, settling In Southern
Missouri, and third, Charles Sage, finding a
home in the then Territory of Kansas Years
swept on, and in 1854, Charles Sage, having
business with the Government, visited the In
dian Agency On the Kansas border On en-
terlng the Office he attracted the attention of
the Agent, who asked him if he had a sister
or other relative among the Indians, as there
was white woman among the Shawnees who
sometimes visited the Agency, to whom he
bore most remarkable resemblance He in
formed the Agent that he was not aware of
having such relative, but that, more than
never been heard Of The Agent, believing
the woman among the Shawnees and the lost
child to be one and the same, from the remark
able resemblance, proposed to have her sent
for and the mystery solved
She was sent for and came to the Agency
with an interpreter. Charles Sage instantly
believed her to be his long-lost sister, from the
strong family resemblance, got permission to
take her home with him, and at once wrote to
his brother Samuel to come to Kansas imme-
diately and see if he could recognize her fea-
tures as he was old enough to remember her
when she disappeared He went, and as soon
as he saw her he burst into tears, so certain
was he that she was his sister Katy. But all
suspense and mystery was dissipated, when she
informed them through an interpreter, (for
she could neither speak nor understand word
of English, that she had been taken from her
home when small child by white man, lived
several years among the Cherokees, then among
the Greeks, and finally among the Shawnees,
and that In all her wanderings she had gone BY
the name of Katy. She had been three times
married to Shawnee Chiefs, had lost an only
child, and was now widow.
10 place the identity of the lost child and
the Shawnee woman beyond all doubt, they
wrote to their mother still living on the same
spot In Grayson county, Va, and then 95 years
old, to know If she recollected any mark upon
Katy by which she might be recognized In
due time they received an answer that she was
marked with ginger -colored spot upon one of
her shoulders, and on being examined, the
spot was there. This entirely and unmistaka-
bly, established the Identity
Ihe brothers now began to make arrange
ments to take her to her mother, but before
their arrangements had been completed she
took the pneumonia and died. and altho' the
parents and child never met again on EARTH
they all crossed over the river and are now
resting under the shade of the trees"
While we do not believe in human divina-
ton, or human power to solve the mysterious
providences in the womb of the future, the
predictions of Granny Moses were the most re-
markabe of any Of which we have ever heard
since the fearful revelations of the Witch of
Endor
And now, in conclusion, should any of our
readers be sceptical as to any Of the truths Of
this sad but interesting narrative, they will be
attested by Mrs Elizabeth DeIp, the sister OF
the lost one, who still lives at the old home
stead on Ed Greek in Grayson, or Sampson
Sage, brother, still living at Stickleyville in
Lee, or Charles Sage in Kansas.
Important Dates
The following will refresh the minds of oul
readers as to the dates of the most important
inventions, discoveries and improvements, the
advantages of which we now enjoy:
| Spinning wheel invented, $780,
| Paper first made of rags, 14l7.
| Muskets invented and first used in England
1421.
| Pumps invented, 1925.
Printing invented by Faust, 144l.
Engraving on wood invented, 1850.