The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1910-07-14

and her little lame brother
hid beneath the staircase. The
Indians found them. The mother
returned and begged the Indians
not to harm them. They left
the boy, but one OF the Indians
threw the girl across his shout
der returning for answer savage
laughter and the forest closed be-
hind them, me child looking
back over the Indians shoulder
screaming, Mamma, Mamma
The child was gone, but she
had left indelibly imprinted on
the mothers mind her little tear
stained face and the haunting
cry of Mamma, Mamma.
Six weeks later. Mrs. SlOcum'S
husband and father were killed
by the Indians and she was alone
with her six children, but in all
her suffering the fate of Frances
weighed most heavily, for she
Thought that her lost child was
alive and suffering and must be
found and rescued.
The family grew TO manhood
and wiomanhoOd. The mother
and the brothers searched every
where among the Indian tribes
for the. lost child, offering a re-
ward of $500 tor information,
but no clue could be found. In
1907. the mother over 20 wears
of age. went to her grave, still
feeling that her daughter lived
and enjoining her children to
continue the search for tireir lost
sister.
For almost twenty years after
the mothers death, the sons con-
tinued the fruitless search until
the letter OF Con-. Ewing revived
their hope and an interchange of
letters with him almost assured
them that their lost sister was
found.
Arrangements were quickly
made for journey to the Miss
issinewa by two of the brothers
and a sister-all tlren over sixty
years of age; and in September,
1887. they started on their last
search. They came to the Deaf
Mans Village. accompanied by
James T. Miller. an interpreter,
and James B. Fulwiler of Peru.
They were received by their Sis
ter with all of an Indians stoicai
show of indifference. Could this
wrinkled old Indian woman be
the fair child snatched from their
home almost fifty years before
But her dark reddish brown hair
such as never seen on the head
OF an Indian, appealed to their
memory. They asked to see the
forehnger OF her left hand. 1t
had been crushed and the nail
was gone.
How did that happen" they
asked. MY brother struck it
with hammer before | was car
ried away" she answered.
This brought certainty for this
had occurred about a year be-
fore she was captured by the In
dians.
She told iler story again
through an interpreter. Her
memory of her father and the
family, of the coming of the In
dians and her capture all agreed
with theirs, but she had forgot
ten her christian name. "Was it
Frances her sister asked. Eyes
Franco, Franco" she exclaimed,
emotion for the first
time.
1t was indeed the lost sister,
)ttt there were no tears OF ioy,
no fond embraces. They told
heir story OF the mothers grief
md their long search. They con-
'inced her that thfs gray haired
woman was her sister and that
lhieSe old men were her brothers,
who ran away from the home
when THE Indians came. She
was an Indian as completely as
+ born one, and it was hard to
.lioit any apparent feeling from
her Through, the interpreter, but
gradually the restraint wore off
md She agreed to meet them the |
day at Peru.
In the morning Frances came
o the new hotel in the little |
own. she was accompanied by |
Ter daughters and her son-in-
aw. After some "reminiscences. |
he brothers and sisters begged |
WI W SfD DdSh W lflS Otu OuSU11e-
anna home. With a look of !
adness she shook her head and |
No, ! cannot. | have |
lways ived with the Indians |
hey have been very kind to me |
am used to them. The Great |
spirit has allowed me to live
With them and be happy; and | |
Will continue to live with them
nd will die with them. Your |
ooklng glass may be longer than
nine, but this is nv own
tome. | do not wish to live anv
etter or anywhere else. I think |
he Great Spirit has allowed me
o live to be old because I have
wed with the Indians. Nv hars-
and and my boys are buried |
ere and cannot leave them.
IN his dying day, my husband
harged me not to leave THE In
rams. | have a house and much
and, two daughters. q son-;n-