The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-02-02
a Dird OF Passage from :: Poo US Nest

A Dird OF Passage from = Poo .'i''sr Nest. !
ST. Louis Republican.
\ writer in ippltt0n'S JOurRdl makes some
interesting statements about the origin and
name of Mr. Henry NJ. Stanley. Stanley isl
one of the names that the world knows now,
and Mr.. Henry Nj, Stanley is one of the men
whom monarchs and princes delight to honor
10y bestowing upon them special marks OF their
favor. Anything new about his birth, nativity
education and career is news. The writer
above referred to states that Stanleys original
name was John Rowlands, and that he was
born near Dcnbigh, Wales, in 1910 The con
dition of his parents appears to have been low
~, for at the age OF three years he was placed
in the poor.house at St Asaph, where he re-
manned ten years and received an education
that fitted him for a schoolmaster lletaughtl
school at Mold in FlintShre, for year or
two, but at this early age he began to show
restlessncss and u desire to get on the wing
away from his parent nest Of poverty in Wales
At fifteen he went as cabin-boy on board a
! snip bound for New Orleans. In the Crescent
, City merchant named Stanley adopted the
lad and gave him his own name, and he be
came Henry NJ. Stanley. His patron died,
leaving no will. The civil war broke out and
carried young Stanley into the confederate ar
my. The fortunes of war made him prison
u, anu MS utSlIt w bC 'auHtt w
volunteer in the service of the Union. He be
came ensign on the ironcad Ticonderoga and
finally driited into the profession of journal
ism. After the close of the war he went as
newspaper correspondent 10 Turkey anc Asia
! Minor, paying flying visit to his native Wales
/ and poOr-house nest on the way. When he re-
turned to America in 1867, he was sent by a.
| New York paper rs military correspondent
with the British army in Abyssnia, After
this war came his search for Livingstone and
bonors from geographical and other scientific
societies. and then his later researches and ad.
ventures which have kept his name standing
in type all over the civilized world. He is the
most noted African explorer of the present day,
and his achievements in these equatorial re
gions are probably more brilliant than any
that have been before. The universal public
eye was looking for the lost Livingstone, and
the fortunate finder of him was directly in the
focus of observation. Stanley found himself i'm.
mcdiately and widely famous. The first suSpic,
ion OF the sensational was soon dissipated by the
| full recognition of the fact of the discovery by
the scientists and societies OfGreat Britain. Liv-
| ingstOne's whereabouts was rs great a mystery
az the sources of the Nile, which he went TO
discover Stanley went and found the lost cX-
| plOrer OF the lost Nile region. and he found
and earned fame. This achievement brought
him to the front rank Of the worlds invcstiga-
tors. The discovery of the lost man, at the
time and under the circumstances brought
him rs much renown as Columbus gained in
his day for the discovery of "A new world.
The fascination of Africa took Stanley back
there The equatorial regions are ~ potent as
the North pole to charm explorers Those
who have been blistercd 10y the sun always 90
back to it, just as those who have been frost.
bitten by the North always have a fancy of
being frozen to death. Stanley pierced the
heart of Africa in private enterprise and with
Il mcagrC rctinuC, and descended the tOngol
| fighting opposing and hungry Cannibals all
the way, The exploit seems impossible with
the means and forces at his command, but he
did it in safety, and then began "A series of ori-
entail ovations to him rs IA plucky and indom.
liable explorer The feat he accomplished al
most single handed would have been credit.
able to IA regular army. 1t has been rccog
nized as a great achievement and is being
brilliantly rewarded,
In Egypt the khcdivc decorated him with
40 honor bestowed upon but few, and Cairo
banque;cd him who cheated the cannlbals of
the Congo of u banquet. At Rome he received
a medal which Victor Emmanuel intended toI
hasd him personally had he lived COmp!i
mcnt, in words have been showered upon him
from several cities Of Italy; he was welcomed
rs IA conqucrOr at Marscilcs and received with
enthusiasm And now come more and greater
triuaphs and honors in Paris and London
America was beginning to he proud of Hen |
ry VI. Stanley and willing to share his fame
rs an American, but now it turns out that he |
is only an American by adoption. America
gave him his name and not his birth. Penn.
sylvania had put in claim to his nativity, but
if the statement about little John Rowlands he
Ia E.,Itnpn u vIill huSn In XaI fhn !
honor to Wales. The poor little boboink when
it migratcs changes lis name As il goes and
gets fat, becoming first the recd-bird and then
the rCc-bird an John ROwandS from Welsh
pOorhou,c nest, became Henry VI. Stanley IN |
New Orleans, and one of the most noted and
honorcd men OF the day His career is a bril-
liant instance of the triumph of industry and
perseverance, and adventurous enterprise, over
the obstacles of poverty and 0h>curity And
in any event America still has H. full share of
glory IN the triumphS of Henry NJ. Stanley.