The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1916-08-03
Successful
Clew
BY SARAH BAXTER

out for line to be shot to her by the
men of the life saving station. And
now that the storm was abating and
there was a possibility OF beat reach
ing her it was too late. Persons were
struggling In the water, but few were
reaching the shore. The life savers sue
ceeded, after number Of futile at
tempts, in launching a boat and MAX
ing trip toward the wreck and at
last brought back several persons.
among whom was little boy about
five years old, who had been secured
to an improvised raft.
The child's identity was never dis
covered He was adopted by family
of country people living on the coast
and when eighteen years old shipped
on steamer as deckhand. But he had
some education. and 1t was not long
before he was made subordinate Off
Ger. The steamer on which he was
wrecked was called the Alexander
Hamilton, and the boy took this for
his name. He knew nothing of the
great statesman of that name, there
fore his act was not immodest.
1t was evident from young Hamil-
tons personality that he was child of
arts .oeratic lineage. Those who knew
how he had been picked up from the
wreck wondered why those connected
with him by blood had not found him,
Before going to sea he had been adj
vised to hunt up his origin, but more
than dozen years had elapsed since
he had been brought ashore. and he
knew not where to begin.
The young mans idea Of g9ing to
sea was that he hoped for an oPpor-
tunity to visit points of interest In
different countries. When he drew his
pay he would Invariably use for this
purpose During voyage his ship re-
NAMED some time at Tangier, opposite
Gibraltar, unloading ana taking In
Arab goods. Hamilton obtained leave
| to visit Seville in Spain. Having ar
tistic tastes, he visited a gallery con
tanning some pictures, works of the
old masters. Stopping before q Ma
donna and child by Murillo, he stood
looking at 1t, feeling growing up
within him that he had seen 1t before.
Presently he felt assured that he had
not only seen it, but that 1t had been
very near to him. The face of the
Madonna was associated In his mind
with some loved memory.
at may be-" he said to himself, 'that
the picture is key to my childhood
II this were so 1t might be possible
for him to find the lock.
An object had come to the young
man. The circumstances attending his
having been taken by shipwreck from
his natural surroundings had cast a
gloom over him. Now he frightened
up and resolved that be would follow
the clew on detective principles and
never give up the search so long as
there was ray of hope. Sitting on q
bench before the picture, he gave him
| self up to mental investigation. This
was the result: Either his parents had
brought him TO Seville, where he had
seen the picture, or he had somewhere
seen a copy OF 1t.
| He went to every hotel in the city,
got permission to look at the records
previous to the time of the shipwreck
and asked every landlord whether he
remembered hearing Of any one who
had been at his house being lost on
the steamer from which he had been
! saved. But this investigation led to
no result
| He next turned his atteHtien to the
matter of any copy that might have
been made of the picture. After much
questioning he found that but one copy
had ever been made and that was for
q bishop of the Roman Catholic church.
Hamilton discovered who the bishop
was and went to the episcopal palace.
| The bishop was dead, but priest told
the searcher that the copy was intend
ed for rich Englishman. who as a
price for it gave large sum to the
! church.
IIamilton's next move was to learn
the name of the Englishman. The
priest examined papers back for more
than twenty years and found letters
| Wtllltll yours Dtlpft lEOln thS
man for whom the copy had been
made. one letter giving directions as
to where 1t was to be sent. The name
was John n. Boyington. - Harley
street. London.
Hamilton had money enough to take
him to London. but no more. He de.
cided to make the journey, and If he
discovered no relative he would ship
on some vessel bound for America. On
reaching London he found that John
BoyiHgton had been an eminent sur
geon, but was now an old man and re-
tired The sailor went TO his residence.
was ushered into the drawing room
and there on the wall hung the copy
Of the Murillo madonna and Child"
/ When DR.. Boyington came down to
see him and Hamilton told his story
the old man sat silent for a time. then
said:
II believe that you are my grandson,
Your father married an American lady.
and a son was born In this house
That picture was placed In my daugh-
ter-in-law's room shortly before you
were born that the mother might have
a fitting object before her. When the
boy was four years old my son and
his wife visited America. They were