Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-05-10
Losd.Eosr soy.
Return Home OF q Young Man
After Twenty Years Rest-
dence With the In
dians.

which might, if the phrase we're not
hackneyed, be said to demonstrate
that truth is stranger than fiction"
has Just come into the possession OF
the Chicago Times WinonA, MINI,
correspondent. In the quiet little
village Of ct. Charles, in the western
end of the county, there resides a
lady named Mrs. Ruth A. Barber.
She has been married twice. Her
first husband was named Camp, and
was one of the brave boys in blue,
who faced the music Of rebel artillery
and gave up their lives that
the Union might live, at
the battls ofPittsburg Landing. His
relict then lived, with several small
children, on the Big Wolf river,
Waupaca county, Wisconsin. In 1864
one of her children, named Orton
Morell Camp, mysteriously disap.
peared. He was last seen by his
mother playing on the river bank,
and his little cap being found floating
in the stream, it was generally sup
posed he had been drowned. A per-
sisteut search and dragging Of the
river failed to discover his body or any
further trace of him. His mother did
not for long time accept the drown
ing theory, hope clnging to her, as
it only will to a mother, that at some
time the missing darling would turn
up. In the neighborhood Of her resi-
dence we're camped rowing band of
Pottswatomie Indians, the chief of
whom, Nassana, had sften
tried to barter with her
for the boy, he having taken
great liking TO him. Mrs. Camp be-
lieved her boy had been spirited away,
but no evidence could be procured to
fasten the guilt upon the Indians.
The band was traced up ami their
camp searched, and the whole country
for miles around vainly secured in the
hopes of discovering some trace OF the
boy. At last even the mothers pa
thence aud hopes died, and she settled
down to the belief that her boy was
dead. She married again, and with
her husband removed to this country.
Her other children grew up about
her, became men and women, and set
tied down in homes Of their own.
Ore of these, james w. Camp, located
at Royalton, Wis. He was at work in
one of the mills there few days since
when rowing baud of Indians camped
in the vicinity, and among the num-
Der Mr.. Camp noticed one whose
white skin clearly betokened that he
did not belong to the tribe, although
his garb was of the Indian fashion.
Mr.. Camp became interested in him,
found that he could speak English
clearly, and learned in connection
with him that he was aware that be
had been stolen from white parents
when small. He had, of his own i'm
pulse, made frequent inquiries con-
corning the whereabouts Of his par
ents, but all efforts in that respect
had been fruitless. He could remem-
Der but very few incidents of his
youth previous to being so un-
tremendously adopted by the
Indians, but he could recollect
that his parents called bin
MorelI. Such was the name of Mr.
Camps lost brother, and the convic-
ton flashed upon him that at last
the lost had been found. Two scars
on the person Of a newly found broth
er established a chain of evidence
which put the question Of his identity
entirely beyond doubt. His mother
was at once notified, and as might be
expected, sped to him by the next
train. The young man found it hard
to break away from the life which he
had led so long, and the habits which
be had formed, but the better prompt
ings of his heart and the yearnings of
love for the being who bore him,
weighed greater in the balance, and
he BOW begins new existence among
the surroundings Of civilized life
the stay and support of fond mother
in whose keart during all these
eighteen years there has ever been a
niche sacred to his name and memory.