Stevens County tribune. (Morris, Minn.) 1877-1880, 1878-08-15
BARrLETl's LOST CHILDREN

sc "a ca ana an Accidental Meeting.
Burlington. N j Cor. New York Sun.
Thomas Bartlett, shoemaker, lives in a
neat house, on which is known hereabout
as Gailows Hill. The house stands high
above the public road, and is backed by
several acres of vegetable garden. 1t
commands view of Burlington City,
one mile away Bartletts reputation,
among those who know him, is that OF an
honest and industrious man. He divides
time between his trade and his garden
His first wife died in 1859. She had
borne him two chiidren-a daughter, Liz
zie, and son, Edward. At the time of
their mothers death, Lizzie was in her
tenth year, Walter was FIVE years old.
In January, 1861, Bartlett married his
second wife. On the 10Th of September
in that year, he enlisted in the Fifty.
seventh New York Volunteers, then COM
manded by Colonel Samuel K Zook The
two children were left in the care of his
new wife.
Bartlett did his duty as soldier with
out any serious mishap until June /,
1862. On that day the battle of Fair
Oaks was fought. An officers horse near
Bartlett was struck, and rearing. it
plunged and fell dead upon Bsrtlett,
breaking his right arm and crushing him
nearly to death. In fact he was supposed
TO be dead, and among those reported in
the New York and Philadelphia papers
as killed was the name Of Thomas Bart
lett, Fifty-seventh New York Volunteers. :"
Almost the next place where he found
himself was in hospital in the Fort on
Bedloe's Island in New York Harbor.
One year and seven days after his enlist
ment he was discharged from the hos
pital, sound in all respects except his right
arm, which he can not straighten. This
disqualification is his claim for the pen
sion that he receives
Bartlett returned to Burlington in a
few days after his discharge to find a
glad welcome from his young wife, and 4
fine baby boy, Harry. since grown up into
manly young fellow, now his fathers
fright arm" But nowhere could Bartlett
find trace of either LIZZIE or Edward.
Bartlett says that his second marriage
aroused bad blood in the family of his
first wife, the mother of his two children.
He AYERS that the step mother was nearly
as good and kind to them as their own
could have been. But their maternal
grandmother had vowed that no step
mother should ever rule over her daugh-
ter's children.
When Bartlett was at home with these
children he had no .ears for their safety
but soon after going to the front their
grandmother found means to take the
girl Lizze away from another relatives
family, near Bordentown, where the
child had been staying for few weeks
Not long afterwaFd the little tive-year old
boy also disappeared.
Young Mrs. Bartlett's means Of sup
port were slender and, although she
yearned for the lost children, she had a
baby OF her own TO carefor, and her eff
forts for their recovery could a: most be
of slight avail. Among the neighbors
their disappearance was only d nine
days wonder, tor the women had their
own absent husbands to think about, or
their dead ones to mourn for.
When Thomas Bartlett on his return
learned of the childrens disappearance
he sought them in every place where be
could imagine they might be hidden.
The grandmother was, naturally, the first
to whose movements his attention was d.
rected. Here, howevcr, he was baffled
at tie outset. Her occupation, until age
began to disquality her for it. was that
of nurse. She had no home, because be
ing fortunately in favor with several
leading physicians, her services were al
ways In request and she utilized her op-
portunities. The watch kept now and
then for a short time upon the other
members of her family, was equally I'm.
availing. To add to Bartlett's bitterness
he, some time after MS return, received
an anonymous letter, dated Philadelphia
and saying that ''he would never agar
see his daughter alive" Soon after THU
came another letter, also unsigned, tell
ing him in so many words that g Edward
was dead"
Although thus baffled at every point
Bartlett still kept up at intervals the ap
parently hopeless and disheartenin.
rem, as he says, las dead and gone for
ever"
Ten years ago patent fire extinguish
er was exhibited in Burlington, and ever
body was invited to Burlington Com
mons to see an otherwise inextinguish
able fire summarily put out. The towns
people were there in force, and Bartlett
was among them. Citizen Jacob Va
Sewer was also present, and, meetin
Bartlett in the throng, Mr.. Van Scyve
said:
II say. Tom, have you seen your ED
est daughter yet7'
1t should be explained that since hi
discharge from tina army Bartlett la
had other children horn to him, an
- s eS;i;afesstsss sss>5iher girls.
"No,n' answered Bartlett; team it b
possible that she, too, mas run away fror
nome and come to see the fire."
aldo not mean Ler," replied Va
Scyver. II mean your daughter by you
first wife; it is not twenty-four hour
since saw her in Philadelphia."
Van Scyver than explained that he ha
called to sec some friends in West Phil,
delphia, that while there girl employe
by neighboring family CHANGED to com
in; that he, in the course of the tall
mentioned the name Burlington, wher
upon the girl said that her name W;
Bartlett, and that she was born in Blu
llngton. She then gave the names
some well-known citizens of Burlington
and added that her mother was dead, an
that her father had been killed in tt
battle of Fair Oaks.
Bartlett, overjoyed, although still il
credulous, hurried next morning
Philadelphia, found the house indicate
by Van Scyver, and there met the daugl
ter whom for six years he had suppose
to be dead 1t is enough to say that I,
day Lizzie lives In i pleasant home not
rift shot away frnrf,i neg takhe q hoas