News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1885-04-09
STILL LOOKING FOR THE LOST.
A Mother Who VIII Not Believe Her Son
Perished in the Arctic sea.

A Mother Who VIII Not Believe Her son
Perished in the Arctic sea.
A letter from Springfield, Mass, says:
This city has not lacked share in the
sad romance of the late Arctic explora-
tions. Several years ago a promising
young man here, the only son Of Wild
owed mother, and general favorite in
social circles, caught the "Arctic fever"
and against the protests of his family
and friends Joined one of the relief ex-
peditions. For time all went well, but
as has so often happened, the ships were
frozen in and the men were forced to
| take to the ice to make their way out.
| On their dreary march to the nearest
station, a cake of ice on which the
Springfield boy happened to be was de-
tached from the main foe and he was
carried out to sea. His comrades were
unable to rescue him and he drjfted off
into the darkness, as they were only too
sure, to certain death. The remainder
of the party arrived safely at their des-
tination. AS soon as possible the
news of the young mans loss was sent
TO his mother, but she obstinately re-
fused to believe that he was dead. Her
faith was strengthened by the arrival,
some months later, of letter her son
had written her on the Christmas day
preceding the abandonment Of the ships,
IN which he spoke confidently of being
with her almost as soon as the letter
reached her. AS it had been sent by
roundabout way across Siberia and Rus
sia, the delay was only natural, but the
mother saw in it fresh confirmation of
her hopes.
The belief had by this time grown
into monomania, and she determined
to leave no means untried of ascertain
ing if her son really lived. Without
the knowledge of her family, she went
to ''medium" who happened to be in
Springfield at the time and consulted
her as to the whereabouts of an absent
friend. Her excitement was increased
by being told that the person of whom
she asked had been cast away in far
country among savage tribes who had
nursed him tenderly through a long
illness; that he was still weak, but was
on the road to health. Almost beside
herself, the poor mother tried in vain to
convert her family to her belief. Find
ing it impossible to shake her faith in
her sons existence by argument, they
finally tried change of scene and travel.
But while in Boston she once more
visited a clairvoyaut, who, strangely
enough, confirmed the statements of the
former medium. This one described in
dramatic terms, first, a young man
picked up in mid-ocean by a passing
vessel; then port in distant land,
ships in harbor, figures in strange cos
tunes moving about the streets, speak
ing foreign language, a small house
near the water, in it the same youth,
once more recovering from severe i'll
ness and longing for home, but unable
to find the means to return to his own
country.
OF course, after this second expert
ence, it was useless to try further diver
sion, even had the broken-hearted
woman not insisted upon returning
home to be ready in case any news
was SO strong that as a last resorg- her
friends wrote begging the commander
of the expedition to come to Springfield
and let the mother hear from his own
lips the story of her sons disappear
ance, hoping that in this manner she
might be convinced that he was really
dead. The kind-hearted captain came
and told the sad story, and for a while
the mother seemed to accept the newt
able. But the old belief soon resumed
its sway, and she is again watching and
waiting for tidings that can never come.