St. Landry democrat., 1880-01-03

y
with a message, and after some conver.
sation with him, he (Mr. g. asked him
his name, &c. The boy without any
hesitation told him his name was Emile
Poncho, and that about nine years be-
fore, he had been stolen and brought to
this parish from New Orleans. He
stated also, that his father was dead,
and that he would like to get Mr..
Guldry it he ever went to New Orleans,
to see if his father had left an estate.
Mr.. Guidry said the boys manner of
telling him his story had impressed him
very much, and requested me on my
| return to New Orleans to investigate
the matter, it it was not too much
trouble, and write to him. | asked MI.
Guidry if could see the boy myself,
and he informed me if I would delay
my departure until the following Sunday
he would have the boy at his house.
did so, and there met the boy who
seemed to be youth of about IS or II
years OF age. He was intelligent aud
answered all my questions very readily
and without hesitation. His story was
the same rs that told to Mr.. Guidry,
except that he went more into particu-
lars. His story you will have from his
own lips. On my arrival in New Or
ie:;.ns, looked over the records Of all
the estates which had been opened Cor
the last ten years, bnt could find no
such estate as that of Francois Poncho
L then during my leisure moments began
my inquiries i'll the neighborhood of
Fort street, where the boy said he had
resided, for the young brother, but all
my attempts to lind out any one by the
rame OF FoDchO, was fruitless. Ialmost
gave up in despair. On the goth day of
this month found myself in the neigh
borhood OF Port street, and once more
determined to make one more effort,
L stepped into a corner grocery. and
after lighting my cigarette, [ began
conversation with the proprietor, an old
frenchnan, and during the course of
the conversation, asked him if be had
ever known q man by the name of Dr.
pancho, who had died nine or ten years
before. "Certainly know him, but he
is not dead, remarked the grocer. Few
knew him by the name OF Poncho, it
being an italian or Mexican nick name;
his real name is Toro-Dr. Francois
Toro. Here he is now," he continued
as an old gentleman entered the store.
Hardly believing it could be the man
was looking for, thinking he was dead,
nevertheless accosted the old gentle
man, and asked him his name. He an
sWered, ''my name is DR.. Toro; do you
want to see me oil professional business?n
| asked him if he always went by the
name of Toro. He said, "no; some
times lam called Poncho." Still doubt
ing, asked him if he had ever lost a
son. Everybody knows that" he an
swered, and Immediately tears seem to
spring to his eyes, and his face assumed
that look Of woe and sorrow, which
nothing but long years Of suffering could
give. To be more certain of my man, l
asked him to relate the story of his loss,
telling him at the same time, it was
from no idle curiosity. Word by word
it fell from his lips as if every word had
been SO often spoken, that it was en-
grayed upon his memory to the exclusion
of every other thought and feeling.
Before he had half finished, I gently
laid my hand upon his shoulder and
said: cold man have seen your son,
spoken to him, and in three days yoE
yourself shall see himl At first he
looked into MY face with gaze which
seemed to say, are You not ashamed to
thus trifle with the feelings Of an old
man. '::but seeing tears of sympathy gath
ering in my own eyes, he stood speech
less for several minutes, looking fxedly
at me. At last he said, "Tell me more"
I gave him a brief outline of my visit
to Lafayette, the meeting with his son,
the sons story, &c. Gradually he geemed
to realize, that after nine years Of toll,
anxiety and suffering, he was about to
realize his dream by day and night, and
see once more the face of his son. He
hugged me, kissed me, and for a while
was afraid his mind would give way.
I began to speak Of his journey to see
and recover his son, and in that way
Gained him. We began our prepara-
tions Il had decided to accompany him)
and early next day took our departure
for Opelousas, as it might be necessary
to call on the civil authorities to aid us
in getting possession of the boy, he
being in that parish (St. Landry near
the line Of Lafayette parish, living with
Mr.. Evariste Navarro, with whom he
had been living since his abduction,
We arrived at 0pelousas on the evening
of the aad of Decem)e and called at