The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1876-04-27

d
their bodies. The man said his wife
used to say that they didn't need clothes
out there In the woods. In the winter
sometimes they would have cloth of
some kind tied around their shoulders
with strings, and with no other protec-
ton they roamed the forest in the most
rigorous weather. Neither of the chill
dren had spoken an Ineligible word.
They climbed the highest trees with
ease and no sign Of fear, and lived in
the summer and fall on nuts, roots, ber-
know that they hunted ground moles,
field mice and other animals, which they
caught, killed, and ate raw. Long ac-
customed to digging for roots and hunt
ing nuts, they had acquired the habits
OF walking on all fours. and ran with
great speed in that position, although
they were equally agile and feet on foot
alone.
WINTER EAiFLOYNENT.
In the winter these beings-human,
yet with all the instincts of the brute
eraation-shared the daily meal OF their
father, which consisted entirely of po-
tatoes and other vegetables, which he
raised on his farm" But not the
deepest snow nor coolest weather could
force them to remain in the house, and
they roamed the woods eating whatever
&ba1, oo,,I1 fDJ oD5 6:ori,,or will, ,1por
ring instinct down through the snow for
hidden roots. The girl was more ven
turesome than the boy, and frequently
remained days and nights in the woods
in the most rigorous weather. The boy
had be- en- u ned William and the girl
Melvina
AN INTERVIEW WITH THE CHILDREN.
While Parke was relating the story
of his wild children they had both re-
turned cautiously from the woods, and
at first peered steadily in the hut door
but finally growing bolder. they stepped
in, all the time uttering the stran9est
cries and apparently talking to one
another in harsh gibberish. By alter
nate coaxing and threats the father Of
the ''mutes'' prevailed on them to ap-
proach the hunters. There was a strong
resemblance between the two. Their
faces were sharp and pinched, and had
an old, worn expression. The cheek
bones were high, mouths large, noses
prominent and foreheads receding. Tie
eyes were small and restless, but bright
and piercing. The same semi-idiotic
smile characterized both countenances,
and broke not infrequently into harsh
laugh. The head of each was small for
the body, and was covered with an
abundance of long yellowish white hair,
matted with burrs and twigs. The girl
was of perfect physical development
save that her legs from the knees down
were somewhat distorted, as were the
boys. This was caused, their father
said, by way they had of sitting on the
ground with their legs bent up under
them in peculiar manner. Parl1e turn
ed his pitiable offspring about, and ez-
hibi ted them to the strangers with the
utmost nonchalance. Their skins were
discolored by exposure, and the palms
OF their hands and bottoms of their feet
were thick and hard as horn Sears
were plenty on their persons, the relics
of cuts and scratches received from sharp
brush and briars, and one great seam in
the girls left breast, barely healed, had
been inflicted by her brother with an
old knife in q quarrel over a potato.
Parke said that Billy was of a very ugly
disposition, and got worse as he grew
older. His mother had given that rs
her reason for leaving, as the boy ha2
attempted TO kill her. The father com
planned that the children were great
trouble to him, and that he began to be
afraid of the boy himself. When he
went away from home if the children
could be caught he tied them securely,
as he was afraid Billy might kill his sis
ter during his absence. Melvina was OF
a more gentle and docile disposition he
said, and the hunters noticed that she
occasionally fawned and rubbed against
her fathers arm as he talked, evincing
affection in the manner of dumb brute.
A BIBLE STUDENT.
To add to the astonishment of the
hunters, they discovered that Parke was
a profound student of the Bible, was
Il
topics treated of in books, but of current
history he was singularly ignorant. lie
had also invented system of short hand
which he said he was bringing to per
fection. He exhibited his skill in writ
ing it on small slate he had, taking
down remarks of his visitors, which he
did with surprising rapidity, IL neat and
evidently systematic characters, which
he read as easily as he had written. He
showed them some remarkable works of
penmanship which he had done, of intri-
cate design and beautiful execution.
THE FAMILY 'sBARNUNIzED.
The hunters returned to Pittston and
related the story of what they hal seen.
Although occasional reports of Wells
Parke's wild children had beed heard in
the neighborhood, the story of the hun
ters was not believed brt a delegation
of citizens visited the spot, and the
statements being verified, measures were
taken to ameliorate the condition of the
unfortunate beings. 4 large ot1antity