Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1886-12-24
n WILD CHILD.
II DenUer Doctor Finds His Lost
Stolen Daughter in an
Idaho County CdUern.

two months ago of the discovery of a
wild girl in the mountains forty miles
from this place. A correspondent ofthe
San Francisco Chronicle visited the
scene, and from personal observation
furnished that journal with a full
description of her cavern home and
surroundings. AS result of the publ
cation, one of the greatest mysteries of
the far west has been solved. Mr.. G. n.
Holbrook. of Denver, Colorado, read the
reports and recognized the wild girl" as
his own daughter. After being mourned
as dead for nine years, she comes forth
as from the grave and is restored to her
father.
A hunter while wandering in the
depths of the Salmon river mountains
far from the habitations of man, saw
before him a beautiful lake, in the
grandest. widest, natural settings
giant cedars with pendent festoons of
moss and towering columns of granite.
A fair girl. unadorned, unclothed except
by feecy wealth of golden hair, stood
waist deep in the water. She Looked
with nervous stare that betrayed "a
wild nature. She sprang from the
water and disappeared in black yawn-
ing cavern. The man of the chase was
not romantic. There might be- such
thing as a mermaid but he did not
believe in ghosts. 1t was dark when he
found his comrades by the log fire.
fear. The story of lone girl in that
gloomy solitude was related. The flick
ering flame cast shadows more weird;
when the owl looted and the echoes
died away the stiffness seemed oppres-
sive. These three Nimrods visited
the lake next morning. The same fair
creature was standing at the foot of the
cliff beyond the water She was
clothed in the skins of wild animals ;
her hair was blown about by the light
breeze in fluffy ringlets about her shout
ders. She was startled-looked for a
moment and fled. The explorers did
not trespass upon the strange lady's
sacred precincts.
When they returned to the valley
their story was widely circulated and
The newspaper correspondent accom-
panied by some daring COW boys, decided
TO trace the rumor to the fountain head.
They found beautiful, untrodden,
grassy valley of an area of 100 acres
around two sides of what is known on
the surveyors maps as Moose lake.
Few white men have ever passed
through the dense forests and rugged
depths to look down into the sheltered
dell. No signs of life were apparent
when the rnrippled water re effected back
the gray moss-covered wall of rocks
that stood 30 nearly perpendicular on
the border. The entrance to the cave
could be seen, but only the black sides
and arches marked the home of the
object of their search. The inyestiga-
tors passed mp the uneven worn stone
steps up 10 the door of the subterranean
domicile of the apparition or angel.
They paused, they peered, but all was
hidden in the heavy shadows. They
hallooed; an echo answered AS from
well. A stir in the passage and fright
full visage was seen. with tangled strings
of gray hair dangling, with blinking,
watery, red eyes glaring as feeble
trembling Indian tottered forward.
His attitude was that of defiance as he
placed himself in the door of his
dungeon, but the withered form and
the palsied arm were a miserable carica-
ture of the warrior of fifty years ago.
He was pushed aside. The reckless
men rushed forward guided by torch
through a winding tunnel into great
cave with many angular recesses and
uneven roof and walls. Corners and
columns divided the vast interior into
apartments. One of these divisions was
the wild girls boudoir. Seated on robe
in commissions Of fright was we'll
developed maiden of twelve years. Thu
torch dazzled her sight. She turned
her face from the intruders and sobbed
.pitifully. They did not approach her
but turned away and passed from her
presence, filled with sorrow and moved
with sympathy, which her intense
emotion seemed to Communicate to even
these thoughtless young men of the
plains. The withered old guardian was
found to be dumb. When addressed in
the Nez Perez Indian language he
could understand, but replied only with
signs. These facts were published
when the party returned to civilization,
and Mr.. Holbrook, in his far off Colo
RADIO home, read them several weeks
after the discovery. He travelled with
all possible speed to the Salmon river
valley, his former home, and soon
organized party to assist in the rescue
-. Al