The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-10-23

city, his courage, his loving disposition
toward his mother and his sister Ru
THE, his fondness for everything that
savored of a martial spirit his school
associations, and last of all his adVen-
ture into the far east, a mere child, on
transport with an armed regiment Of
U. S. volunteers. on mission of
WARFARE AND BLoODsHED.
Mrs. Messenger said that a great and
burdensorne weight has been lifted off
her heart, which had lain there day
and night for the last five weeks, sting
ing at one time and at another almost
killing her, as she longed and waited
for his footstep On the threshold
When she went TO the post Office last
night. she learned for the first time
definitely that Charlie was alive and
well, in letter that she received
from Capt. Baker, on the transport
Grant, with the Twenty-sixth regiment,
and that he would not be left among
strangers in a foreign cline, but would
be taken care Of and brought back to
the United States on the return of the
ship early in December.
Imagine her surprise to find inclosed
inside Capt Bakers letter a nissive
written on both sides of a half sheet
of common note paper from Charlie,
telling her that he was on his way to
Manila, written as If he supposed that
she had known all along of his where
abouts, just the same as If she had ae-
conpanied him to the railroad station
and saw him off on the cars after bid
ding him goodby. He does not at all
refer to his leayipg home so naysteFl-
ously, his mind being apparently intent
on nothing but that far-away Manila.
Mrs. Messenger was strongly adverse
RI
use the text of the note that she, re-
ceived from her missing boy, but on
being told that thousands Of mothers
would be touched with sympathy when
they read the boyish note, she gave
permission to have it printed. 1t is as
follows
LETTER TO HIS MOTHER.
"U. S. s. T. Grant, Oct. 1.
Dear Mamma: suppose you know
ana with Capt. Mack. Tomorrow we will
be in Honolulu. Tell Ruthie dear that
I WIFI bring Her some fine things when
1 get back.
How IS Angie and papa and Fannie.
Give her to Ruth.
II saw Albany, Buffalo and lake
Michigan, Chicago, and I saw the Mis-
issippi river. The bridge was on three
islands. 1t was about a mile across the
river
you ought to see the loads the Chi
narnen carry. They carry 1o-bushel
baskets on a slender rope on their
backs in Frisco. Frisco is all hill.
1--WE get to Manila between the 25th
and goth of this month. suppose the
people of Shefborn are wondering
where, am.
How is little George?
II have been seasiell, but now I am
all right. Write, please.
MY address will be Charles Messen-
ger, Co. M, Twenty sixth U. S. ". Ma
Mia, P. I"
Capt. Baker writes a very nice letter
to Mrs. Messenger, in which he tells
her of the presence of her boy on the
transport and showing that with all his
duties as quartermaster he will look out
for the lad until he brings him back to
the United States His letter follows:
"U. S. A. T. Grant,
Honolulu, S. L., Oct. 2, 1899
MRS. w. H. Messenger:
Dear Madam-I find your boy as a
stowaway on this ship He Is certain
Iy too young a boy to so to sea, and in
stead of leaving him off at Honolulu in
the hands of strangers, I viii take him
on to Manila, and bring him bach to
San Francisco when I return with the
ship.
II have no doubt that he left home
without your permission, and I write
you this letter In order that you may
write me at San Francisco, so that I
may know what to do with him on my
return.
I'VE will reach Manila about Oct "a,
and will return to San Francisco frorn
Dec to Is. Very respectfully
(Signed), tJohn w. Baker,
Captain and Assistant Quartermastel,,
U. S. " Transport Quartermaster.
Care Col. o. F. Long, Depot quarter
master, San Francisco"
Mrs. Messenger win take immediate
steps toward having her boy placed iii
proper charge on his return from Man.
lila.