The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1912-05-31
WEST SPRlMsS AROUSED OVER
A MYSTERIOUS LITTLE GIRL
Strange Little Girl Suddenly Ap-
peared and Then More Suddenly
Disappeared. and Her Where
abouts are Unknown.

West Springs, May y29th.-An oc-
curence todk place here on Tuesday
that is unparalleled IN the history Of
West Springs. Early Tuesday morn
ing as Mr.. Fred Began was going by
his calf and hog pasture ON his way
to plowing, he noticed Z little girl q
short distance down in the woods
from the road. He did not pay any
special attention to her though, for
he did not think there was anything
unusual in her appearance, and passed
on without stopping. Soon afterward
Mr.. Bogan's mother, Mrs. Fannie Bo-
gan, also noticed her at the hog pas
ture. At first Mrs. Began thought
that it was her own little daughter,
Mary, who together with her niece,
little Ida Lawson, who lives with Mrs.
Began, always, feed the calves and
hogs. However, Mrs. Began found
that neither of the little girls had gone
to feed the stock, SO she sent them to
see who the strange child was. When
the children came up the strange little
girl ran some distance down in the
woods and sat down on log and COM
menced to rake away the leaves with
stick. Ida Lawson followed her and
asked her several questions. She said
that she. bad been out all Monday
night in the rain, and that she had not
had anything to eat since early Mon
day morning. She said that her name
was "Aline." She said that her father
and mother were both dead and that
people were looking for her where she
came from, and she did not intend to
be caught. Isaac Began, cousin of the
little Lawson girl, came toward where
the two little girls were talking. The
little stranger appeared to be very
much frightened and cried, "Oh Law,
Law! Let me CO." She disappeared in
a thicket in the pasture. While the
search was being made in the pas
ture, she escaped up a swamp that
was covered in thick willows, and
crossed the field and the Spartanburg
and Union road and entered body of
woods" Several people came in and
commenced to beat up the woods in
every direction. Children were placed
along paths to watch. About
o'clock the little stranger came out to
where Ida Lawson was standing and
told her that she did not aim to be
caught. She told the little Lawson
girl that she liked her and would talk
to her but to no one else.a She said
that she was going back to the hog
pen that night, and asked Ida Lawson
to bring her something to eat. When
Ida Lawson called the others to come
the little runaway fled into a thick
ct of bushes and down through Mr..
R. 1. Grants pasture. Tracks sup
posed to be hers were seen in Mr..
Grants oat field near the pasture.
News that there was lost child in
the community spread rapidly. Tele-
phone messages were sent to Spar
tanburg, Union, Jonesville, Buffalo,
Glenn Springs and Cross Keys in the
hope that something might be learn
ed as to her identity. However, moth
ing could be learned concerning her.
In the afternoon between so and
rs people, men, women and children,
Joined in the hunt. The woods and
fields for miles around were secured
in the hopes of finding her and all to
no avail. At night a line of pickets
were placed along the road and at the
hog pasture, where Ida Lawson wait
ed with something to eat, in the hope
of catching her. UP to this time
"wednesday morning) nothing has
been learned as to her whereabouts.
LETTER FROM THE WEST.