Year: 1876

and the palms of their hands and bot toms of their feet were thick and hard as horn. Scars were plenty on their per sons, the relics of cuts and scratches 1e ceived from sharp brush and briars, and one great seam in the girls left breast, barely healed, had been inflicted by her brother with an old knife in quarrel over potato. Parke said that "Billy was of very ugly disposition, and got worse as he grew older. His mother had given that as her reason for leaving, as the boy had attempted to kill her. The father complained that the children were a great trouble to him, and that he be- gan to be afraid of the boy himself. When he went away from home if the children could be caught he tied them securely. He was afraid Billy might kill his sister during his absence. Mel vina was of a gentler and more docile disposition, he said, and the hunters noticed that she occasionally fawned and rubbed against her father 8 arm, as he talked, evidencing affection in the manner of dumb brute.

 To add to the astonishment of the hunters, they discovered that Parke was profound student of the Bible, was we'll versed in history and on general topics treated of in books, but of cur rent history he was singularly ignorant. He had also invented system of short hand, which he said he was bringing to perfection. He exhibited his skill in writing it on small slate he had, taking down remarks of his visitors, which he did with surprising rapidity, in neat and evidently systematic characters, which he read as easily as he had written. He showed them some remarkable works of penmanship which he had done, of in- tricate design and beautiful execution.

 The hunters returned to Pittston and related the story of what they had seen. Although occasional reports of Wells Parke's wild children had been heard in the neighborhood, the story of the hun ters was not believed; but a delegation of citizens visited the spot, and the statements being verified, measures were taken to ameliorate the condition of the unfortunate beings. A large quantity of provisions and suitable clothing were taken to Parke's house. Clothing had to be put on the children by force, and as soon as they were released they tore it to shreds. Soon afterward couple of showmen, believing there was for tune in the exhibition of these "wild mutes," kidnapped them, and subse- quently induced the father to accompany them in tour through the country. By severe course of beating and cruel treatment the mutes were forced to sub- init to being clothed, and for a few weeks they were transported about the country, the father shamelessly deliver ing "lecture on their lives and ex- h ko1n r$o Aa khasv utter brutishness. The speculation did not pay, and Parke and his children were taken back 10 their hut in the will derness.

 The darkest chapter in this revolting his children returned to their hut in the depth of the severe winter of 1872. The snow was deep, and, being absent able to take care of his potatoes and turnirs, and what he had left were frozen and routed. Bill and Melvina at once resumed their wild life, and all they had to eat was the bark of trees and roots they could find under the snow. Parke made his wants known to the community and occasional aid was sent to him; but, most singularly, no move was taken to deal permanently with him and his children, objects of charity, certainly, if ever there were such in the world. In this way they dragged through the winter.

 So nearly famished were the "mutes" when spring opened that as the weather grew warm they seized on lizards and snakes, as they appeared on the edge of a swamp near the house, and devoured them alive. Parke avows this to be 8 fact himself, and others saw the horrid sight on one occasion. The children had grown extremely violent since their return home. The boy, especially, was ungovernable, and both his sister and father were subjects of his fury. The revolting diet just mentioned seemed to increase the brutishness of their natures and they fought furiously every day. The acme of horror was reached, how ever, when one night in May the girl gave birth to child in the hut. Parke, hearing it's cries, took charge of it. The paternity of the child Parke attributed to one of the men who took the family away to exhibit, but admits the proba- bility of the girls brother being it's father. Be that as it may, Parke took care of it until it was week old, when one of the frequent furious outbreaks of his children took place. He was com pelled to leave the hut, and they tore the infant to pieces He afterward bu jed the remains, but believes that the mutes exhumed and devoured them. A few days afterward the boy stabbed Melvina in the stomach with an old rusty case knife he found in the hut, and also cut her fearfully in other places. She escaped into the woods, and was found by her father dead in 8 pool of blood.

 He carried the body away to 8 remote place and buried it.

 The remaining "mute" now daily made deadly assaults on his father, and finally the latter went to Tunkhannock, the county seat, and entered formal complaint against his son as a murderer and attempted murderer. With great

 difficulty he was secured by officers, and

 was lodged in jail in Tunkhanu ock. Ef-

 forts were made to clothe him, but he

 tore to threads everything placed upon

 his person. He was kept in jail for

 some months and then released, the

 authorities being at loss to know what

 to do with him. He took at once to the

 woods, and up to few weeks since

 roamed about as of old. He seems not

 to have disturbed his father until recent

 ly, when he attacked him and inflicted

 wounds that it was thought must prove

 fatal. He recovered, however, and his

 son was hunted through the woods and