Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1878-02-15


Mr. Christian X. Ross, whose little son dis
appeared so mysteriously in July 1874,
journeycd to Baltimore the other day to look
al boy waif brought from the West Indies
This poor little fellow is evidently stolen
child He knows something OF lis infancy, of
having lived on hill near large city. of
having been in Boston, and of being taken to
Demerara, during which time and aftorWard
he was treated with great harshutss by un-
known persons Finally, he was brought to
Baltimore, whore he WAS abandoned to the
mercy of street wanderers and strangers
There is something strangely pathetic in the
childish story Of this poor little waf. He re-
calls the fading memory Of prayer which his
mother taught him: he has not forgotten an
infants song which he used to sing. And, as
strangers ply him with questions and sugges-
tous to prove that lr is the loug-lost boy, he
produces his slender stock of memories and
makes such artlcss answers as he can. The
boy has no theory TO account for lis own
identity. He has been taught to say that he
is Charlie Ross; but hc makes no pretense
beyond that. IL, says that he never lived in
Philadelphia, or Germantown: and he knows
no places but Boston and DeInerara. He has
had "a little brother but he does not remem.
Der his name. He knows that he was stolen
by man in wagon, and that he was put in
to a bag and carried away. But h. is not
Charlie Ross
The father of the lost boy. hoping against
hope. and resolved not to be- disappointed.
saw the child and raid hr VAS not Charlie
Ross This, he declared made 573 boys
whom he had been called to see, or whose
descriptions had been forwarded to him for
identification. 1t follows. then, that there
are at least j7} boy-waifs Of the general ap-
pearance of the stolen child. Inquiry has
been pursued only in one vein so to speak
If there are 573 unclaimed boys of certain
age. complexion. and stature, drifting about
the world. how many must there be of a like
agc, but unlike the kidnapped child that
they are not produced for Identification. How
many must there he who are much younger.
or much older, than the Ross boy. And if
i73 boys of certain age. complexion and
temperament are found astray and unclaimed.
how many children of both sexes are wander
ing about destitute Of evidence of their origin.
but 80 far removed from any possibility of be-
ing the missing one that they are never even
heard Of. The bare statement that this un-
happy father la, been called so many times.
| fruitlessly, TO see and examine lost boys sug-
gests frightful chapter Of human misery and
human depravity So far as we know. most
of these waits have no parent relative, or
| friend to claim them and no tie whatever Ia
connect them with the past. But for the
| quest Tor a boy VINO cannot he found, these
poor waits would never have been heard of
their existence would not have been suspect
ed
1t Is peculiar bereavement which these
! parents bear Thousands of children die ev-
| cry day and are amented and buried. But
| this is n mystery which has not terminated
| with the grave. There is an instinct in the
| human breast which shudders at the rehec-
| ton that the form of the lost one is floating
in the depths Of ocean, or is uucoffined in
mountain solitudes, or is entangled in the drift
of some river in the wilderness. But when
to these tragical suggestions is added the un-
certainty whether tbs !4issiiag be alive or dead,
| in misery or in comfort the burden is greater
| than most parents can bear with fortitude.
| And we are glad to know that though the un-
fortunate father, in this particular case, has
| sometimes been charged with indifference
| where he has been sure of another defeat and
with incredulity where strangers profeSsed to
| be able to substitute their notions for his pos
| tive knowledge he has, on the whole, met
with a sympathy which is profound and wide
| 1t seems now. us Mr. Ross admits is possible
that the mystery Of the lost boy will never be
| solved The lapse of years is making the
case less and less hopeful; and, though
] the search must continue, it may seem wisest
as well as most reasonable. TO give over the
missing child as no longer in the land of the
| living. But, whatever may be the issue OF
this strange business the dark story of the
! boys abduction will be told with bated breath
to multitudes of children for generations to
come.-N T. Times.