New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-12-19
THE STOLEN CHILD.

IN n n,casoDt afternoon of last Summer
little bow was stolen from his home in Pillla-
delphia. His father was quiet citizen, nor
rich or prominent his name was never hearo
beyond n limited circle of friends who knew
and anprcciated his modest virtues. But TO-
day that little child is better known ana more
talked about than any young prince in the
world. The leading statesmen who are dream
ing of the next Presidency are none OF them
so we'll known to the people OF the United
States rs the stricken father of that four-ycar-
old boy. This touching fact has been as eject
i've as the most successful! iictions. AS
many mothers have she'd tears over the
sorrowful fate of Charlie Ross as have
wcpt over the death of Pan. Dombcy. 1t Is
! rare that any cause enlists 50 many and Such
ardent symplthies. II the community cared
as much for the liberty OF Cuba as it does for
the restoration Of this fair-haired baby, 1t
would be accomplished at any hazard. The
whole population Of the country is enlisted as
great detective corps to find him. Not a day
passes but that some one is arrested for hav-
ing in his company child &" four years Old,
"having long curly faXcn hair, hazel eyes,
clear light skin, and round face The de-
scription is SO hopcea4ly vague, there arc so
many thousand children answering to It,,
| that thers is not village in the
! land where dozen mothers do not cry
out when it Is read and clasp their own dar-
lings to their hearts. Every moment some
parent is wondering where the lost child can
be, what they are doing TO him, what will be-
come of him. There will he few houses next
week where, in the joyous racket and cenfu-
sion which surround the Christmas tree, when
| chubby faces are LIGHTED up with the blaze Of
! its evergreen wonders, there will be no thought
of the lost baby, and the desola.e home where
hope is slowly giving way to despair.
Another child has entered, by the open door
of sympathy. into all the families of the coun-
! Try. Everybody knows him. everybody calls
him Charlie Ross. There is some laughing
and jesting about him; the hlrd-wori,ed local
editor finds relief in an occasional pleasantly
Of bad taste, which dsSuises tho interest he
cannot help feeling in the pitifu story. But
every one is his friend, and would be willing
! to give half day or So, and the use Of Q
| horse and buggy, if that would help in his
! recovery. A sentiment as strong as that would
accomplish anything which is possible. But
! il can do nothing for this lost child, ex-
crpt to invest everything relating to
him with vivid and startling inteies;.
The other night two river-thicycs Ill
attempting to rife an empty house at Bay
Ridge were shot. Il was thing to approve,
and speak of. and forget. In ordinary cir
cumstanccs, the only persons considered in
the ARRAY would have been the plucky people
who shot the maraulcrs Bat one of these,
| hat t,o lhnr who
Charlie Ross was, and the asserted possession
| of this secret made the death of the two
thieves one of the most thrilling and terrible
incidents of the day. Their biographies are
published III all tine newspapers. Their gha3tly
living in state is dIy chrOniclcd and the
Morsue Is invaded by an army of the NOR
bidly curiOus. 1hsir story is not questioned
so eager is The community to believe any
thing that may throw light on the fate OF
evcrybody's little friend.
1t is z singular proof CO the enormous power
and extent OF newspaper publicity in creating
and keeping alive a serious public feeling.
The power which Ilalcck ascrbcd To the
Orator "Of moving and commanding the
"hcarts OF thousands till they move rs one"
is possessed in an infinitely greater degree By
the press, in case where they daintcr
cstedly agree. This influence is increasing
day by day on account OF that increasing
honesty and independence of journalism
which no one can have failed to notice
during the last few years. 1t shows also
how real and positive a sympathy unites Us
all in matters referring to the sacred relations
of home and family. The near approach of
Christmas, the time peculiarly sacred to what
may be called household religion, has added
intensity to the sympathy reused By the fate
of the stolen child He will not fail to be
commended, at innumcrible tircsides and fam
lily affairs to the loving care and protection of
Him who took little children in HIS arms and
blessed them.
TOT
Evorvhodv knovs Tot That il on unluci,v