The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-10-19
ASuccessful
Clew
By SARAH BAXTER


men OF the life saving station. And
now that the storm was abating and
there was possibility'of boat reach
Ing her 1t 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 boat and max
ing a 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 a 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
| aristocratic lineage. Those who knew
| how he had been picked up from the
wreck wondered why those connected
Before going to sea he had been ad-
vised to hunt up his origin, but more
than a dozen years had elapsed since
he had been brought ashore, and he
knew not where to begin.
The young mans idea Of going to
sea was that he hoped for an oppor-
tunity to visit points of interest in
different countries. When he drew his
pay ne would invariably use it for this
purpose. During voyage his ship re-
NAMED some time at Tangier, opposite
Gibraltar, unloading and taking in
Arab goods. Hamilton obtained leave
to visit Seville In Spain. Having ar
tistic tastes, he visited gallery con-
tanning some pictures, works OF the
old masters. Stopping before Ma
donna and child by Murillo, he stood
looking at it, a feeling growing up
within him that he had seen it 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.
ut may be-" he said to himself, THAI
the picture is a key to my childhood"
If this were so 1t might be possible
for him to find the lock.
n An object had come to the young
man, The circumstances attending MI
having been taken by shipwreck iron
his natural surroundings had cast
gloom over him. Now he brightene'
nm and resolved that he would follow
the clew on detective principles ant
II never give up the search 80 long a
H there was a ray Of hope. Sitting on
Il bench before the picture, he gave him
II self up to mental investigation. I'M
II was the result Either his parents ha
| brought him to Seville, where he ma
II seen the picture, or he had somewher
: seen copy Of 1t.
: He went to every hotel in the cit!
got permission to look at the record
preyious to the time Of the shipwrec
! and asked every landlord whether n
\ remembered hearing Of any one WI
] had been at his house being lost
the steamer from which he had bee
saved. But this Investigation led
no result
iii He next turned his attention to tn
matter Of any copy that might nav
been made Of the picture. After niue
questioning he found that but one cop
had ever been made and that was II
bishop of the Roman Catholic churcl
Hamilton discovered who the bisho
was and went to the episcopal palac
Tho bishop was dead, but priest tol
tho searcber that the copy was lnteh
cd for a rich Englishman, who as
price for it gave a large sum 10 u
church.
uamilton,s next move was TO leai
the name of the Englishman. II
nriest examined papers back Tor mo
than twenty years and found lette
written eighteen years before from u
man for whom the copy had De'
made. one letter giving directions
RI where it was to be sent The nan
was John y. Boyington. - Hari'
+ street, London.
Hamilton had money enough to tai
him TO London. but no more. he
c,ded to make the journey, and II
IL discovered no relative he would So
y On come vessel bound for America. /.
ooobinp London he found that Jol
Rov,npton had been an eminent ST
iii coon but was now an old man and
iii tired The sailor went to his residen'
III was ushered into the drawing roo
and there ON the wall hung the co
iii of the Murillo Madonna and Chilo
III When DR.. Boyington came down
iii GOO him and Hamilton told his sto
iii the old man sat silent for a time, IN
said:
iii ~ believe that you are my grandse
iii your father married an American iao
iii and a son was born In this nou'
III That nicture was placed in my daue
i,,s room shortly before