The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-01-16
locked iss q Freight Car--sarange anu
Portions Adyentnre,ofa Boy OF Ele-
ven Ecapm sa7-st SO. 2se' 80

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Correspondence Of tle New York Times.
BISenAMToS, N. Y, Wednesday, january
10, l8T2.-An eeven-year-old boy of this
city, named Clarence shanks, was made the
| involuntary hero Of most remarkable adj
venture day or two since. He lives with
his parents here, mud was sent on an GRAND
on Friday last with instructions to return
home Immediately. Being a good and obe-
| dent boy, bis parents naturally became alarm
ed when evening drew near, and ho had not
set returned. Messengers were dispatched
In every direction, streams were dragged.
and every means taken to obtain trace Of
the missing boy-ail to no purpose. The
search was kept up all night, and then given
up in despair by the relatives and friends.
The mother Of the boy was almost crazed at
his disappearance, and her situation was be-
coming alarming, when about7 O'Clock sa-
turday evening the boy made his appear
ance, in an almost exhausted condition, and
exhibiting unnistakable evidence Of having
endured great hardship during his two daya'
| absence. As soon as lie was able he told his
story, which is substantially ms follows:
When he went down town on his errand
| he saw through the open door of freight
car which was in q train at the Erie depot a
quantity Of corn lying about the floor. BE
thought here would be good chance to OBJ
tain nice meal for some pet chickens OF his
| at home, and he climbed into the car and
commenced filling his pockets. While thus
engaged the door Of the car WIS suddenly
| closed and fastened. The boy at once began
to cry and shout to make his situation
known, but to no purpose, and soon the train
moved oil. He says he first thought of
the effect his disappearance would have
on his parents, aud then began to
conjecture how far he would probably
! be carried before he could make his pre-
sence in the car known. 1t was pitch dark
III his moving prison, and he WINS bumped
around on the 1oor like ball at every jerk
and lurch Of the train, there being nothing to
| hold to. AT times, ne says, he would be
thrown with considerable force against the
sides Of the car, ald he has great bruises on
his shoulders aud hips as the consequence.
and the presence Of ugly looking splinters,
also testify to the character Of lis experience
on this part Of his journey. The train, he
says stopped once before it made the stop
when he was discovered, and he d!dall in his
power to attract the attention OF some one
about the station. He shouted, pounded
on the sides Of the cur, aud fairly shrieked
for assistance, but without the desired effect,
and he was soon once more rolling and
humping about the car, on bis way he knew
not where. The train finally stopped
again, and the young prisoner ascer-
tanned from the movements about tie station
that some cars Wcro to be switched out Of the
train, and be say. he prayed that his car might
be one Of them. His car was one Of them,
and when it was placed on the switch he
succeeded, after lying there about an hour,
in attracting the attention ct 4 nian who was
passing the car. He opened the door, and
upon seeing the poor boy covered with dust,
In which the tears had cut deep traces down
the boys cheeks, bruta'ly demanded, "What
the HI you doin' here?" Choking with
sobs, the little fellow told his Story, only to
be informed that "he'd better dig out,
d--n quick!" He then went 70 the depot
building and asked boy wilat place he was
in, and how far it WAS from Einghamton.
The boy eyed him suspicloUsl; u moment,
and then told him lie was in Baton, about
thirty-tiYe miles from BiDgl:eulton. Ii was
after dark. and tic unfortunate Clarence was
in an entirely strange place, without cent to
purchase Il morscl to cat or pay his way back
home. Moreover, the cruel rebuff Of the
tracknnn had disEertcncd him, aid he could
not summon courage to ask assistance OF any
one. lie obtained information Of the boy
who had told him where he was az toaroad
which went III the direction q iiinghanton,
and. ct time OF night when he would have
been quietly sleeping III bed if home, lie
started on his Tay TO the city, WEcre lis ago
nized parents were searching in Ill directions
for him. He had 10 dinner CT supper, and the
bangs Of hunger began to ass2il Elm. Those
he satisfied as well as he could ly eating Of
the corn which he PIT in bis pockets in.the
morning, which act had placed him ain lis
present Unenvi2be situation. After walking
about two hours, and passing nlany houses
where he could see the CHEEKY lights and
children playing within, bringing the burn
ing tears afresh TO his eyes, lis strength began
to fNil him, and be knew he must lie down
somewhere and sleep. 1t was very cold, and
he was almost numb with exposure. Coming
live, he made up his mind 10 go in and beg a
supper and a bed for the night, His hand
was on the gatc-latch, when Il fierce watch
dog came bounding at him and frightened
him away. About a mile further gu he
came to O farmhouse, ncV 10 which,
along the road, was @ small enclosure,
in which was haystack, and about it cattle
feeding. The almost frozen boz cTaWlcd into
the hay, and, although suffering from hun
ger, he soon fell asleep. He was awakened
once or twice by mice running across his
face, and by cattle rubbing and pushing
against the hay-stack. He awoke carly on
Saturday morning, and upon craving to the
ground he found that his feet were frozen,
and lie was SO stifiencd that lie could scarcely
walk. No one was stirring about the farm
house. He breakfaSted Oh mw corn. He
met wagons Oh the road, but was overtaken
by but two, and these were heavily loaded
and their drivers walking, 50 he did
, not ask for ride. He passed through
many Villages, but, although almost faint
ing with hunger, was net courageous
enough to ask for mouthful to eat All
day lie journeyed along, suffering intense
; physical and mental agony, until, just after
dark, the lights Of large town came In
sight, and he felt it must be Einghamton.
1t was Binghamton; and about I o'clock he
reached his fathers house, more dead than
alive. The boy tells bis story in q very
touching manner His extraordinary eype-
rence has prostrted him on q bed OF sick
ness, but he Is rapidly recovering. Did David
Copperfeld's famous Journey to his Aunt
Betsey Trotwood's ever before End SO near d
parallel?
TIE TIcuBoRSE CAsE.-The London Ne1D.
Of the 21d of December summarizes as fol-
lows the close Of period liz this protricted