The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1882-02-01
A SONS
The Mother of Stanley. the Explorer, a
Pauper.
PHILADELPHIA Preset

philadelphia Preset
Among the most remarkable of the many
curious stories which are heard from time to
time among the inmates of charitable institu,
tons is the following, which is just being
whispered around the city, and the accuracy
of which is beyond question. Living in the
Home Of the Little Sisters of the Poor, in
the outskirts of Baltimore, in an old lady
named Johanna Eastway, who is proved by
i%rrefragable evidence to be the mother of
Henry Nj. Stanley, the world renowned Afri-
can explorer. Mrs. Eastman was born in
Cork county, Ireland, nearly seventy years
ago. Her father was a butcher named Hau-
kins, and lived until she had grown to wo-
manhood. She married Captain Henry East
way, a seaman, in 1887, and shortly there
after the couple left Great Britain and came
to Baltimore, from which port the husband
sailed on periodic voyages accompanied by
his wife.
THE SONS BIRTH AND REAL NAME.
A few years later the couple moved to
New York, where, on October Goth, 18433.
Henry NJ. Stanley, the explorer, was born.
He was chrlstened by Father Smith in St.
James Roman Catholic Church, William
Henry Eastway, but, as his good mother
says s'For some reason, unknown to her,
changed his name to Henry NJ. Stanley"
When the boy was Z year old the father died
and the family returned to England to live,
and 1853 the father died and was buried
away from home, and his son ran away to
sea. This was the last the mother saw Of
her son Until the funeral Of Livingston in
Westminster Abbey.
Mrs. Eastway recognized Stanley as her
son at once, ard relates the subsequent
events in the following very pathetic man
-mer.
"My companion, Capt. Lamont, to satisfy
me, asked who Stanley was, and / replied,
"Why, that is Henry Stanley, the man who
discovered Livingston" Shortly after the
question had been asked and answered, Stan
and hid his face in the flag that covered Liv-
ingston.
DENYING HIS NEITHER.
The next day Mrs. Eastway sought her re-
creant son at the Langham Hotel, where he
was stopping. Before the messenger who
ushered her into stanley's spacious parlors,
had time to withdraw, Mrs. Eastman, de-
clining his proffered hand, exclaimed care
you not a nice son ?"
swell" he answered, Il fancy there must
be some mistake here"
's'Then you can easily rectify it."
"Well. any money you want you may
have" he replied.
why do you offer me money if I am not
your mother. l do not want aid only, to re-
lieve my distracted mind"
"Have patience, Mrs. Eastway, for ayear
or so and your son will turn up"
With a heart almost bursting, the distract
ed mother replied "He may turn up to be
a brother of your brothers, but never a son
of mine.
During this memorable interview, Mrs.
Eastway said Stanley stood in the embrasure
of q window with his face partly turned
from her. She asked if he was afoaid to
look her in the face, ''Oh, no, 1 am not"
and turned around facing her.
He asked her if her son had any marks
upon him person by which he could be re-
cognized, and she answered quickly:
Eyes, on his wrists he had some peculiar
India ink marks made by a sailor during the
voyage to the Crimea, and on his neck a
MOLE" Although she repeatedly asked him
to draw up his cuff in order to reveal the
marks on his wrists, or to pull down his
collar slightly to show the mole. He would
not do it, and the interview ended by her
leaving the hotel in great anger.
THE PROOFS.
After Stanley left England Mrs. Eastway
had some correspondence with James Cor
don Bennett and some of her relatives in this
country, with regard to proving that the now
f. NOUS man was her SON.. She sent docu-
ments proving her assertions to this side of
the water, and shortly afterwards she crossed
the ocean herself with q view to sustaining