The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-07-31
THREE DAYS LOST.
and Safe Return 10 Rich
mond OF Little Ned Thurston.

Saturday morning about IL o'clock ar
organ grinder with a monkey appeared or
Broad street between Third and Fourth
and drew the usual crowd OF children
and among them Edward +. Thurston
son Of the lady and gentleman who keer
the millinery establishment at No. 315
Ned got cent from his mother and gave
it to the monkey, then came back to her fol
another, which she declined to let him
have, and then went out again, and was
seen no more until about 6t O'Clock yes.
terday evening.
NED MISSING.
II was not till Saturday night that Mr.,
and Mrs. Thurston felt any great uneasi-
they became much alarmed. Mr.. Thurs
ton set out on search. lie went TO all the
station-houses and notified the police, and
made inquiries in every direction unavall-
ingly. About midnight he came to the
Dispatch Office and had a notice inserted.
No news being received OF the child
whose age is ten years-the parents had
notices read out in many OF the Sunday
schools Sunday morning. Mr.. Thurston
and friends also drove all over the city,
and especially up and down the river
banks. 1t would have been no great sur
prise to them il they had found his clothes
and had that proof that he had been
drowned bathing; but no clothes were
found.
RUM0Rs.
A schoolmate, named Otto Miller, de-
clared that he saw Ned about O'Clock T..
NJ. with the Organist and monkey at the
corner Of Eighth and franklin; colored
boy was sure that he saw him about
O'Clock at Ninth and Bank, still with the
organ. a lady living near IIaXalPs mills
informed Mr.. Thurston that she had seen
such boy-and she gave quite an accurate
description-with an older boy digging
worms on hillside. From their cOnyer-
sation she knew they were going fishing,
and she had no doubt Ned was drowned.
The search was continued yesterday, but
with no success. Mr.. Thurston hunted up
the organ-grinder, and found him quarter
ed down on Twenty.third street; but he
could scarcely speak word OF English,
and when an Interpreter was gotten could
give no information at all. He had no re-
collection Of any such boy.
SUSPENSE AND ANXIETY.
Mrs. Thurston was in great distress OF
mind. She thought she would never see
her dear boy again. TO divert her thoughts
somewhat lady friend came yesterday
evening with her phaeton and drove her
out. While she was gone. and Mr.. Thurs
ton was sitting in the back part OF the
store telling the story Of the boys unac-
countable absence to Dispatch reporter,
Ned came sauntering up Fourth street
from the direction OF Grace. He was
quickly surrounded by crowd. \ lady
in breathless haste rushed in and told Mr..
Thurston, and he went out and met the
prodigal and welcomed him home. Soon
afterwards Mrs. Thurston returned, and
great was her Joy at finding Ned safe and
well.
NED AT HONE.
Ned had on straw bat, calico shirt or
jacket, and short linen pants, fitting his
legs tightly. His feet were bare, as when
he left. He was sun-burned and his
clothes were soiled by dust and car-axle
grease. To the question "Where have
you been - he made answer, "Maiden's
Adventure"
He said also that he was mighty hungry,
and that was about all that could be gotten
OF an appetite OF nearly three days stand
ing. When his hunger had been little
appcascd he stated that he had followed
the organ up town and out toward Holly
wood. in which neighborhood he met 4
boy larger than himself, whom he had
never before seen, who had in his hand a
package OF cigars. and who stated that he
was going out in that section to see gem
tleman to whom they were to be delivered.
He begged Ned to 80 with him, and Ned
agreed.
THE STORY.
Ned's information is that the boy is named
Atkinson. and that he works at cigar fac
tory on Eighth street. He had dog with
him. They went westward by way OF the
old reservoir and finally struck the Ale
ghany railroad track. This they took to
return to the city. Instead OF coming to
Richmond they went from Richmond.
That Is the story. They finally got during
the night in the neighborhood OF Maiden's
Adventure, some twenty-seven miles from
the city. Sunday gentleman informed
them OF their whereabouts and they turned
back. Sunday night they slept in an empty
boX-car. They subsisted on green apples
and backberries, and got to Candles Hill
about 6 O'Clock. At that point the big boy
put Ned on the track for his home and left
him. Ned could give no accurate descrip-
ton Of the big boy, nor does it appear that
there is any clgar-iactory OH Eighth street.
The City Directory has no mention OF any
on that street.