Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-12-22

little Katy Sage became more and more
like a faded dream. But as long as the
family remained together, when father
and mother and children gathered
around the embers that glowed between
the jambs of the old fireplace on the
long winter evenings, they talked OF the
missing one.
When thirty-one years had passed
since Katy's disappearance, James sage
was laid to sleep in a grave in the beau
tiful Elk Greek Valley, and the message
of Granny Moses" was the only tidings
that ever reached his ears or his lost
child.
Mrs. Sage outlived her husband many
years. Her children, as time rolled on,
became widely scattered, some remained
I'm Virginia. and others settled in differ
ent States and Territories in the West.
Her son, Charles, settled in Kansas, and in
1884 he met with an Indian agent there,
who one day asked him II he had sister
or female relative among the Shawnee
Indians. Charles answered no. But on
reflection he told the agent the story OF
his sister who had been stolen more than
sixty years before. The agent SAID that
there was a white woman among the
Shawnee Indians that bore strlhing
resemblance TO Charles The woman
was sent for, and when Charles saw her
his face became pale. II seemed 10 MIN
that the very image OF his mother as she
appeared twenty years before, when ne
left the old homestead, lived and ylowed
in the face and features OF the strange
woman He believed her to be his long
lost sister. She could not speak Word
of English, but through an interpreter,
she told them that she had been stolen
away from her home In virginia Dy
white man when she was small chlIu'
that he took her to the Cherokee Indians
and she never saw him again; that she
had lived among the Cherokees a"Hiie'
! and then with the Creeks. and hnally
with the Shawnees. She had been three
times married to distinguished Indian
chiefs. and had borne one son. Her nus
hands all died and she was widow no"
for the third time, and her son mad
| recently died. That her name was Katy
and that she had retained that name II
ALI her wanderings and travels through
| different countries and among dlnerNn'
! Indian tribes Charles got her 10 20
1 home with him, and he at once wrote u
his brother Samuel, who lived In Mis-
souri, TO come and see II he could recos
nize her. Samuel was older and coult
remember Katy. Samuel came and saw
the woman and heard her story, and be
Iieyed her to be his sister. The prother
then wrote 10 their mother, who was SUI
living at the old place on Elk creek, ant
| told her about the woman they pelieVe'
! 10 be their sister and asked the mothe
TO tell them all she could remember apou
Katy. The mother was then near ne
9Oth birthday, but on nearing III
letter read, her memory revived ana sh
said almost instantly Write ana tell IN
boys that my daughter, Katy, had gin
ger-colored birthmark on her shoulder,
and then she went on and described IN
nark and the very mark described b
the mother was found ul~n the shoulde
of the woman in Charles Sage's mouse
| Her Identification was now complete an
hevond question and the brothers de
cided 10 take her home TO their mothe
| az once. and Katy was anxious 10 q
ARRANGEMENTS for the journey were mac
hut lust as they were ready TO start ha'
was seized with pneumonia ana oie'
disappearing from earth almost as sue
denly as when a child chasing butternle
, she disappeared from Elk creek On
/, crossed the dark river that flows Detwee
this transltory life and the eternity
: usa hevond. TO Join her father, WI
sought her so long and faithfully;
, meet face 10 face with Talbart. the hor'
/, thief. who had stolen her from her ehii'
! hood home, and Granny Moses WI
leaned 10 read her chapter in the boo
., tate 20 truly; soon to be Joined by n
! mcther in whose soul OF deep. stron
ana dsathless love the memory OF 10
chiId and the little birthmark by whie
sha WAS at last identified. lived so Ion
Lovingly the dust OF Katy sage w
hurled by her brothers-Samuei al
: charles. under the skies OF the wes'e,
nlains. A modest tombstone marks u
. spot. Now and then flower Is cast up,
. the grave by some relative or frieno WI
= visits her shrine. The great masses