The Osceola times., 1884-04-12
ed the following strange story:

On tne lZtn day OF hugust last, salu
the mother, with tears in her eyes,
"Phillie left the house for the purpose of
indulging in few hours play. Since
that time we have never seen him."
Have YOU ever heard from him?"
asked the reporter.
"Yes and no. That is, we have heard
from him indirectly from persons who
thought they had seen him. Phillie was
very fond of witnessing circus perform
ances, and whenever circus would come
to the city he would beg us to take him.
He was good and affectionate boy, and
whenever we could spare the time We
would humor him. He would save up
his pennies, and whenever ~e endesv-
ored to plead as an excuse for refusal
that we could not spare the money, Phil
lie would go to his box and produce
sufficient to pay not only his own way
but his fathers way in"
although he had no need to work."
interposed the father, "he would go
about among the neighbors, after school
hours, and do little chores fer them,
whereby he might earn few pennies"
"He was not fond of going to school,"
continued the mother, and although he
was bright in other things, he could
scarcely read or write"
"How old was hef"
"If living he is now about Is years of
age, but is rather small for his age"
when did you hear from him last?"
There is strange thing connected
with it, and perhaps | had better begin
at the beginning. If you remember, in
August last, Buffalo Bill was at Coney
Island. The boy could be seen almost
any day gazing at the illuminated play
bills. and he almost pestered our lives
out asking us to take him Is see the per-
formance Neither of us had any desire
to see it, and we, from time TO time, put
him off with vague promises. Finally
we were compelled to fatty refuse him
and this, no doubt, led to his disappear
ance."
"Why?"
''He one day expressed to his little
sister determination to see Buffalo B.ll
at all hazards, and on the day mentioned
ne disappeared. Shortly afterwards we
heard from a neigbbor that he had been
seen at the show, and we notified the
police. ] went to the island on several
occasions, but could gain no trace of my
boy. A day or two later lady friend
came in, and said taat she had seen
Phillip at Conev island, and when he
saw her he ran away as if afraid of being
seen. We again made search for him,
but without avail. When the Buffalo
Bill combination was about departing
we again heard from him, and an officer
| told us that boy named Philip Griffith
was with them. We ascertained the boy
was not our little one. For some reasen
or another he had evidently taken Phil
lies name. The combination then went
away, and have no doubt but that they
took him with them"
"Have you never heard from him
since?"
"Yes. on several occasions. The first
time after this we heard that he was
living at the Newsboys' Home in Poplar
street. Although l placed no reliance
in this report, went there and ascer-
tanned that the boy had not been seen or
heard Of
when did you hear from him againT'
"A little later we heard that he had been
seen in Philadelphia in company with
strange man. We could not confirm
this and gave him up for lost, although
we have since been grasping at every
clew that might discover him.
as that the last time you heard of
him?"
"No. Several parsons have come to
us and have told us that they have seen
him in different places, but upon follow
ing UP the clews our endeavon have
been useless.
"Has he any relatives to whom he
might have gomez"
"Yes, but we have either visited or
communicated with all of them without
avail"
Tell him about the grocG's boy '
suggested the father, who was himself
unable to control his feelings.
"What is your theory regarding the
little fellows abstnce?" asked the re-
porter.
awe have none, or. least, no feasible
one. He was bright boy, and may
have been stolen, or he may have wan
dered off and been taken by the circus
folks. 1t would be satisfaction to US
to even hear that he is dead, rather than
to be compelled to bear this suspense"