The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1889-08-10
ALLEN THORNDiKE RICE.

itor and Political Leader.
The childhood of the late Allen
Thorndike Rice was marked by an ex-
citing and tumultuous episode that is
only known to a few here in Boston.
When he was a lad OF nine years his
parents separated. and each sought
possession of the child, and from this
the incident grew. His mother be-
longed to very wealthy family, she
possessing then that great fortune
which Mr.. Rice afterward inherited,
and with which he bought the North
American Review and enjoyed the lux
uries of pleasant life. Miss Bourne,
falling in love with Mr.. Henry G. Rice.
a rising young business man of Boston,
was married to him about 1850, and by
this union was born Allen Thorndike.
A sister of Mr.. Rice married Patrick
Grant. prominent citizen of Boston,
and their son was Robert Grant. the
well known author of Confessions of
a Frivolous Girl" and other modern
satire novels.
One day, while Allen was at school
at Nahant, suburb of Boston, pending
the courts decision upon the posses
sion of the parents, sitting side by side
with his cousin. Robert Grant, burly
hackman, black as the ace of spades,
appeared aud asked to see the boy. as
he had message to deliver to him.
No sooner had the youth stepped over
the threshold, however, than he was
bundled into the hack, and Immediate
ly wheeled away toward Boston. The
abduction was soon discovered and
there was instant pursuit. but in vain,
forthe hackman, under orders from the
mother, gave loose rein to his horses
and arrived in the city good league
ahead of his pursuers. His horses,
good pair OF swift coachers, dropped
dead that night from the over-exertion.
For day there was an entire absence
of a clew; then by bright detective
discovery a thread was found. The
hackman, it seems, was in reality
white man BACKED with burnt cork,
and afterward in washing himself he
carelessly left a smooth spot back be-
hind the ears. By this he was found
out, was arrested, fined and imprisoned.
Following up the clew thus gained,
the boy and his party were traced to
country town in northern Vermont,
and at last to the very house where he
was located. The officers searched the
building from roof to cellar, but could
not find the lad. yet he was there all
the time, carefully concealed in an un-
derground passage. But the watch
was now s. lose that it was advisable
to leave tl.. town. and at night the
party, with the boy, slipped away to
Canada. The next heard of Aliens
abductors were at Island pond, where,
with fishing-rods and lines, they we're
Stimulating tourists on a travelling ex-
cursion. Driven to bay again, they
FASTENED on to Portland, and there,
embarking at once on coasting ves-
sci, sailed for Richmond, Va, from
which city they took vessel to En-
gland.
A greater part of the time Allen was
compelled to wear girls clothes, for a
better disguise. 1t was in this strange
way that Allen Thorndike Rice came
to visit Europe in his earliest years,
and this adventure resulted in his stay
ing abroad until, when he had attained
his majority. he decided to return to
his native land. His mother. mean
while, had given him splendid educa-
ton in France, Germany and at Oxford,
England, where he graduated with
honors in 1873. The adventure in the
abduction incident cost his people
$50. 900 for expenses, as no money was
spared to elude his pursuers. Boston
Cor. Cincinnati Enquirer.
On the Promenade Deck.