The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-09-19
LOST TN THE FOREST.
Hattie King Starves in the
Wilds Of Skagit County.
THE STORY OF A SEATTLE GIRL.
Hunters Find Scrap OF Brown Paper
Containing Strange lnformation-No
Clue to Girls Whereabouts.

MoUsr VERNON, Sept. 1s-lSpecial.l-
Frank Quinby, a well-known attorney; W.
T. Lucas, Democratic candidate for as
SCISSOR of Skagit county. and J. +. Moody,
all OF Mount Vernon, returned last even
ing from q weeks outing near Cavanaugh
lake. and bring back news Of the probable
death in the mountains of Hattie King,
girl whose home is in Seattle.
Cavsnaugh lake is situated about four
teen miles from McMurray, in a wild, un-
surveyed strip of country. The lake is
reached by trail cut through the, forest
by the few ranchers who have settled on
the land near the lake and are waiting for
a survey. Last Tuesday afternoon. while
the outing party was returning to McMur-
ray. from which place they were to take the
train for Mount Vernon. they came upon
the claim of man named Willis. They
found the settlers cabin deserted and had
sat down on the stoop to rest. when q
large sheet of dirty brown wrapping paper.
which was sticking under the cabin door,
attracted the attention of Mr.. Quinby. He
drew the paper out and found thereon,
written in a nervous, scrawling hand with
pencil. this note:
do not know the day Of the week, but think
the month is September. / found this cabin
three days ago, and until that tina had had
nothing but wild berries to eat for five days.
have remained here hoping some one would
come and rescue me. I will leave today and
try to find the railroad. for I believe that
heard locomotives whistle an hour ago, and 1t
could not have been more than two or three
miles from here. What food / found here that
/ did not eat I have taken with me.
and If ever find my way out OF this
wi
jumper hanging behind the door I have taken
aud will wear them, for my dress IL in tatters,
and, in man. attire, can better make my way
through the woods. With my mother and father
I came to Mountbourn Il think that is the name
OF the place. fromseattle, and while berrying in
the woods lost my way and have kept on walk
ing ever since. guess they think Pm dead. 1
don't know how have ever lived through it all.
know that must have been out of my head
with hunger when found this cabin, but sub
stautial eating brought me back to myself
am l6 years old, and my home is in Seattle.
My father il . wheelwright / have taken the
trail which goes back of the cabin, for that il
the direction that l heard the locomotive
whistle / wish you would try to find me il
you come home soon. for may never get out of
these woods alive. HATTIE KING.
ten was crumpled and old and the pencil
u8lkS Oh IL were Idl1ts duo III loCb aluiOSb
obiiterated, showing that it 1t must have
been written at least q month or more.
The trail spoken of back of the cabin led
to Montbourn, about fourteen miles west,
and Immediately Mr.. Quinby and his COM
panions started out to see if they could dis
cover the lost girl Arriving at Montbourn
that evening at o'clock the party
inquired about the parents Of
Hattie King, but no one knew anything
concerning them. Since nothing had been
seen of the girl on the way, it was con-
cluded that she had either been rescued or
had died. It is probable that the loco
motive whistle spoken of by the girl in
the note was on the line of the Seattle, Lake
shore & Eastern, which passes through
Mounthourn, fourteen miles distant from
the Willis cabin. The woods in the
vicinity of Lake Cavanaugh abound with
wild animals and it is not improbable that