The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1878-01-01
A LOST BOYS ADVENTURES.


a Happy Thanksgiving Day in an
Iowa Farm House.
lies MONIES Register.
There was one happy household. a.
least, in Polk county on Thanksgiving
day. There was rejoicing, and cause
for rejoicing. in the home of John
Cressou:, Of Washington township.
over the return Of q son whom they
had not seen or heard from for seven
teen years.
In 1860, Mr.. John Cressout. an
humble tiller Of the soil in the Buck
eye State, resolved to remove to the
rich prsiries Of Iowa, with the hope
Of lettering his condition. His
family consisted Of his wife and two
children boy of thirteen and a
girl of ten. His health and that of
his family was good, and he thought
that by settling upon a new farm
upon the fertile prairies Of Iowa. he
might secure q competence for him.
self and them. Accordingly he sold
his farm in Ohio, and with his family
took up their weary journey overland
to the setting sun.
In those days the railroad facilities
were not so abundant as at the present.
and the only direct and passable route
lay through the CITY Of Chicago.
When he arrived in Chicago he tar
ried few days in order to confer with
some land owners in reference TO the
purchase Of a farm. During their
stay in the city. Robert, his son.
awaited himself Of the opportunity to
see the sights, and accompanied his
father in his walks about town. One
day, while his father was busily
engaged in conversation with land
broker. Robert stepped out. and seeing
q large crowd down the street. thought
he would 60 and find out what was the
matter. When he reached the mob
and found that it was only street
auction, he determined tn 60 further
on, and pursued his walk down the
street until he reached the wharf,
where the ships and steamboats, wore
living by the hundreds. Having
never seen a steamboat before, he
was naturally lost in wonder. Seeing
q great crowd entering one OF
the large steamboats,. he thought
he would go on also, and look around,
As he supposed the crowd were doing.
so he went aboard and wandered down
into the cabin. and finally down into
the hold where the great engines were
situated. While engaged in viewing
the wonders about him, the steamer
loosed her cables, and started on her
journey over the lake. He suddenly
became aware of the fact that the
steamer was moving. and fastened on
deck-but too late. The vessel was
far out on the lake, and when he
reached the upper deck, the city Of
Chicago, that held all that was dear on
earth to him. was only a speck in the
distance. He told his story to the
captain, but in vain. The captain
thought he was only vagabond who
was endeavoring t. steal his passage
over the lake, and would not listen to
him, but told him if he did not keep
quiet he would deliver him up to the
officers of the law on their arrival ut
Grand Haven, and have him put in
prison. So Robert was compelled to
dry MS tears anu conceal his emotion,
knowing that every revolution of the
great paddle wheels of the steamer
bore him farther away from his parents
and sister.
When his father found his boy was
lost he secured the aid of several de-
tectives, and made a thorough search
Of the city to find him, but in vain.
After fruitless search of over week.
he was compelled to give his son up
as lost. and pursue his journeying to-
ward Iowa. The mothers grief knew
no bounds. She wept continually,
and, like Rachael Of old, refused to
be comforted. Her boy-her only son.
the pride Of her heart, was lost, and
only God knew what his fate may
have been. So. with q broken heart
and anxious mind, she took up her
journey with her husband and daughter
TO their new home in Iowa. They
reached this State in the fall Of 1860.
and settled on a new farm Of 160
acres, in Washington Township. Polk
county. Fortune favored them, and
Mr.. Cressout made money very fast.
He was a prudent, economical man,
and his wife was the hest of wives
in every sense a helpmeet. His lands
grew broader, his herds multiplied,
and in few years he gained hand
some competence. But the loss Of his
son was the one great shadow of his
life. "a we'll as that of his wife.
Around their cheerful fireside the
subject would be related. and the
tears Of sorrow would fall like a
summer rain whenever Roberts name
was mentioned.
But what Of Robert? When he
found himself in Grand Haven Mich,
the destination Of the steamer, he
knew not what to do. He had No
money with which to telegraph to his
friends. and no one would believe his
story. SO he was compelled to 60 to
work at something. and finally secured
employment in a large saw mill as
driver of q sawdust cart. He worked
here for some time. until he obtained
some money. and then he set about
trying to find his parents. He adver-
tised in the Chicago papers, but to no
avail. At last he gave it up. and con-
rl,,do1 Il vrse s~olo., IN cont;uua Sko