Mt. Vernon Democratic banner (Mount Vernon, Ohio : 1853), 1859-12-13

              ' .. " VOLUME XXIII. MOUNT VERNON, OHIO: TUESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1859. NUMBER 34. -Stnlh glraagcr lfiait jFittioit. From the Cleveland Herald. THEILUHa EOMANCE OF REAL LIFE Unparalleled History of a Bnckere Boy, Full particvtars of the Loss of Matthew Bray-ton at the age of seven years W capliniiy among the Indian t of the Fur N'trth West for Tkiity-Jioe learn lis traveling Three Thousand -Mites in search of his Relatives Their search after him, and his discovery and Complete Identification. Our readers will all remember the aeries of articles and noticed which we bare from time to time published in relation to the fact that a man, . claiming to hare beeu stolen many yeara ago by Indians fro u Northern Ohio, was here iu search of his parents, and that same persons were diligently tracing hiui up under the supposition that he was their lost relative. We hive already announced the successful issue of tbe-search, and re now in a position to give a fall account of this affair, which has no parallel in our expert ence, or in that of most liviug men. The facta relating to the loss of the child wen-given us by the family themselves, and hy the greyheaded men who assisted in the long and p.u'nfu! search then instituted, thoa ejrplanatorv of his f jrtoues a in )ig the Indians td givey It v the hisro himself, ad we have fio) reason f .r implicit trust in his story; the even's connected with his recent discovery are partly our own per-sontl knowledge, an J tha rest from the sl-item.ent of eye-witnesses. THBLHt eilIt.lV. In the year 1X25 Mr. Mujaii IS.'.a y nx, one of. lb j outers of' ih N irtMwcsWrL; j t of Omo, lived ti.-i his form in -Wyandot riii'V, ii-jr tin-presut locvioii of Cary, ...'Mr.'.-Brvton,th-it-3J years of age, hl six c.liidren, throe bjya and three girls. At that time tbe country was but RU.irselv .settled, ;tu I the pioneers h id Hot atictvcdvd in fit. l;rely driving O'lt'tlit li d Men, y 'ci ciuhjj ttu-. ciously to the vi;li-s and uriu ground which wer all th n rc.n -uned t i them of h broad Sid'.e of' tj;ii j, onco.'.ii'-ir .1: Iti i nli aus of tint neiy dinvrti Mjd ivi sist-.d i:iy -; Seneca and Wyauduts, with 11 fe r't-v-l'.s and Pottilloiuit. . An Ioditti'.trail led tr.on Uyper Sudukv, wh.-re th S.Vuecas had a vil lae, past Wyandot town, a settl'inK-nt of ..the Wyandot tribe of whi;h a lug bouse yet remains, and extended to Perryshurh on tbe M-ium from which place the trail passed tip lu lb-shore opposite Milu'eu on the Canada side. Some ot the Indians that lingered around the Northwest ot Ohio, had sided with the British in the war of 1812. and a porti'm of the tribre anmiaUy took ' this trail to tint-Northwest, passed, ivnr to M tl-den and drew their presents of blankets, gan, powder, and such articles. On their return" . it was oot unusual for a party of Canadian In Hum to accompany tbeiu aud remain on a short visit. These annual expeditions to Cauada usually look place in the Fall of the yar. Ou the 20tb of September 1823, William, the eldest son of E;ijih Brayton, a lad of sixteen years, and his youngest brother Matthew, then seven years ud one mjiith old. started out from the house to hunt up some sinjy eattle. Tbe proceeded together until they came to a pla'-e . not far from the site of the house in which William Braytou uow resides. ' Here they were met by a neighbor who was also hunting up lost cattle. The two parties agreed to unite in thr search and were about to set out, when M itth w tbe tittle boy, cotnplaiued of being too much fatigued to proceed any farther, ilis brother pointed out the patlr leading to the neiffhb ir's bouse, whivh i but a short distance off, telling h'na to KrTrpto the ouse and re rim in there utit I they came back. Tbe Utile. but, Muihi-w, 1 ok tli d rei tion pointed on', h.l-t ttie oih.-r en ' tinued tl.eir search. On leinruiii from their c-ttt'" bun i- expedition William iri)tin was ov.c'rwhe lined with etc.! trniion at finding that his i.n.ilier bud 1.01 arrived at the house of the neighbor, nor bud lie been heard of. Search was instantly set on f ot. Traces of his little feet were plainly discernib'e along tbe path until it j ined the track made by the loes whieb th nfighbr hat been drHwitnf 0:it of the Wood. I: was evi 1-nr frr.m th" f ! print 'bat li'ttU M.-itthxw h! n.it.!;r'! tii-.i'-.-i. a:jd ffTiwfd the t'T tfin-k 111) info 1 lie wood.. I Tl; Ir.iin were f,ll-ned t.ji H' lii 1 li .j w:re .1 t-i i ' - - .i a:Don llie fallen leaves in ihe vu iioiy of th- In-j diaii.lrad hofora spoken of. Filled r.with' alaTrn. 1 William and bis cornoauion retraced" their ' M.ei at and carried the news to the VicreHvd family. f Mr. Brayton ;wa absent to ChiJIit-mhe,. et:I.;gi millstones. Mrs. Braytn:) w,is I"!'i','p l '"" a ' S'fit of gripf and terror. The neighborhood w-m raised, and as soon as the lie ws eould rach tbe ettlers three counties and part of tbp fourth turned out as one man. Every foot of ground was diligently syarehed, but in vain. - The Wv-andots became interested, aud young and o'd Started oot in pursuit of tbe missing child. Honrs lengthened, into days, and days into weeks, bat not the faintest trace could be discovered. An eld settler, still alive, acted as storekeeper, and as each party came in after an unsuccessful bunt, be filled their meal bajtf and canteens, and saniBm ff again. Ieantimetb Vave mother kept on eleadily at bar tooaehold datiea, her heart racked with a thousand pangs of fear, and her eyes'turntnr aver to thai window in htpes - to ba gladdened 'with the sight of tbat darling boy. But to her igbt tbat boy was never fated to return on -earth, 1 least. Weeks passed away weeks of agonizing hopes and fears, and then came the settled conviction tbat all hope was lost. It was believed that' a party- of Pottawattomiea, who passed thrwigl bout that time on tha trail for Canada, bad taken him with them. From time to time came raosors that tha boy had been seen ; In this direction or In that, bat speed examina tion provea ail tbesa rumors to be without foun iatioa.. Once, about four years after hUIoss, zsan who had been traveling among tha Iadiao tribes cf Iiaoij ii &zt t had seea stmoc tbe fottawattomies !n that Stata white ..".child,, whose age, and appearance would correspond witb thaUf Matthew. Mr. Brayton immediately wrote to Gen. Cass, then Indian Commission, er. but the answer: was prompt perhaps too prompt that the report was certainly incorrect, " Tbe Indians had no white child with them." So the years wbre on, and the incident became less fresh in men's memories. Mot forgotten, however, for the hardy pioneer of Wyandot, Seneca, Hardin, Hancock and the adjoinig coun ties, still, among tbe histories of their pioneer life, told their children of tbe mysterious disappearance of little Matthew Brayton. Not forgotten, for the sturdy Eljih though another boy had been added to his family to replace the one so saiiy lost, and another girl to replace one lost by death till muttered of his " ltftt Matthew," and said that had he lived be would have been " the smartest of them all." Ufot forgotten, f.r deep in the heart of the eldest brother, William, sank the spoken or silently expressed reproach of the mother, that the loss of the boy was owing to hie carelessness in sending him off alone. Not forgotten, ab, no I . not forgotten by tbat fond maternal heart that yearned toDgingly for the missing Iamb of tbe fold. The paling cheek, the wastin; form, the decaf ing strength told how d p the Jove, how bitter the anguish of tbe mother for; her lost son. If wrre bat ure f his fale, if but rug of clothes, but a particle of his body had remained to assure her tbat her darling bad perihhed by wild brats, or lieeii -slain by stilt wilder men, it would have :iv en. at least rest to her weary heart, but this lir-turin:r mrsiery was too preat to be borne. So the reai wore on, until eighteen years ago that .4 iiT-rtri li irt was IhiJ to re. ben atb the tuif, ru.d lil! wb knew tb-- "tory sijj1:fi Hi.d ?nid the f 'tAi.o!' her boy" bad r. ken i!ie m.abcrly heart.. .' Att'iK'J Til:; IMJI AXS Tltt events of tbi firat". 'fight, years of young lir lyiini'i c'rrpt: viiy itre otily known t-ci hiixj I y the itiiteiii'nts ma ie to bim at d (Treiit tin.es t"v- tbe various builds of ln-iHiis, and their exact acc;l-. r'ai-y 'i:iit tht-refure ie known. It pf;ears th ? tie tan- carried t;ff by the Potiaaattomie Jit h tus and ii . tbe ji t iken t ra .ala. It was told hiiii t'l.vt after tK-tUi? kept-81 itne time by this tribe he was to b . ild to the Paw Paws for about five jn'lons of wbi.-.ky. w bn' tradctl bim off to tbe-Win-nebnt'oes f.jr 7 ;'ga!iv8 of whisky. With this t ri b- he remained for some time, aud was eventually sold to the Chippewas, who soou transferred him to the Sioux for eleven gallons nf wbisky. Here bis first Jiuinct recollections commence; twenty six years airo, when he was " about a h nd shorter" than at the present time. Twenty fiv years ago last April he was sold in Iowa to the Snakes aud Copperheads. This tribe he eeompni.'d. iu tbeir mijrrMions throujfb Clifor-111 1 and Oregon, until they were at length crowded up into the tar -Nortb-west. Here the tribe to which he belonged have been joined by portions of the Crows, Ulahs. and Flat Heads, making a large asrgregate, united uuder oue gene ral chief, with a number of subordiuary chiefs, rhat portion. -of the tribe to which Matthew more particularly belonged remaiued principally in the llussian territory-, and they paid frequent visiis to RnssiaM Pris on the Colville Itiver. About tight years since their supply of game during the wiuter ran low, and being almost both -taryed and frozen out, the portion of the. tribe with which he was. moved off in the direction of the Iud?on's Bi trading posts. Here some of the traders remark -d his appearance, and told hi in that he was a " pale-face." The whites demanded him, hut the Indians absolutely refused either to give him up freely or to allow him to be ransomed. The tribe moved off from t; e white aetUetneuts and kept away fur three years. Diirinir this time the principal chief gave him his d lughter in marring, , probably as an indue mfnr fr iiim to tay with the tribe from choice. Ol.iIih iiiiijh li children have been born. a girt ijF live e rs. ka n as Tefrumi- (" fan-e Di-r."1) ;tni a b.v, tw j years old Isist J.iue, nan; ed Tultnts 1. ' Tne tribe, .-9fnd down a semi-annual train to St. Paul, and bave also visited St. A nibonv's and S .-IkirkV l! d R ver Selileinent. Ai the latter place, a q rrrel sprang up between the wh tes and' the In -liana, relative to the pos!-.ssi.n of. the white toy. - Tbe whi'es threatend thf Indians it il lb -v M i,. V"y v ill'i l tUWc-h; Sot li -v .v r i A r, i-- v. .1 '.y r'.r 1 . He : ' i.7 o .'ivr' lime-; : : ii; ti t.t 1 1; - Ms t .it ii '' ciUauied oiily ix, or a L iiit:: L'.ii t h.iiijiiSfcS.V The iribrT.wn'b 1 wb:eb- M'trave.Vd J:'id a'.c.pi';i,s?Hi.d' wat:h'-n-.:iosea - in a copper c ase. These . articles tbej-used in traveUijg,. bayineheen iustructed 111 their hv iH- iL-ians. who-old tSm t ,h l,.Al. aits fbr ed iiv.il-t t t a hundred dollars. . . . Iu September. iSj-S, the auuual train left tne liussiari t-rritory for St.. Paul's, "and with them c me y o u u g . B ra v to n He bad beaoaie interest- ed n tracing out his history and .had'-'s'ticeeeJed in ;.'-uir;' an act-. ur.t of the Erst ei bt years of bin: c'.tplivHy. similar to that, we have air. u y gic e u He wastbeu exceedingly auxious to setk out his parenu, and, after much solicitation, the present chief granted bleu the requisite permission. On the lGth of April this year be lefiSu Paul's, accompanied by bis Indian brother-in-law who was a powerful chief, six Indian braves, three ponies and live dogs. At Chicago he was taken a ck and remained to be cured. Tha Indian re turned to St. Paul's "after arranging for bts join-iug the next return train ia July, I860. .Poring1 his aickoeaa bis bair was cat abort, tba paint scrubbed off and be was dressed inordinary attire. On bis recovery be was permitted to go at large , and at 00 ce took bis way towards the soath ahow of Lak Erie, from which location be 'supposed thai be W .been stolen. ; : . ' Oath 23th of Aeost last, the "Indian Cao tirewat brought to oar oSco fcy tome persons k vmm o appuea for inibrtnaUosw Ha' told the story of bis captivity, as we have narrated it aboTB aad aaii that at Fre rAoal be wae toli by a man who saw bim there, that one Joseph Todd, who formerlj lirii U CeTeUod, bad lost a'boj 3os &e tls li "Irza Ccrtiva' sT--ssei himself to bate been stolen. On this information be acted, and proceeded to hunt up the Todds, but without success. ; His story seemed to us very extraordinary, but a close aud rigid examination failed to shake his testimony in the least. His description of Indian manners and customs, and of the Georgraphy of the far North-west, was perfectly accurate, as " far as we could learn. He spoke English tolerably fluently, though with aome 'peculiarities. At times be would be at a loss for the proper word, and would endeavor to illustrate his meaning, by object in the room. After once hearing a word be never for got it. He said that he could remember nothing of bis life before he was stolen, nor of the Grst few'years of his captivity. ' At first we were inclined to doubt his story, but were gradually ton-vinced of its truth in some, if not all. of tbe par ticula'S. Next morning he came again, having in the meantime sought out and conversed with Thomas Hickey, who had sailed with Kane in bis Arctic Expeditions, and who was finally convinced of the troth of his narrative. The result of the second interview was our publishing his story, requesting information, if any could be giveu, in regard to the family of the wanderer. The story was extensively copied throughout all parts of the United States and Canada, and considerable interest was awakened, despite the neers of some people who thought every story a "humbug" that did not exactly suit their ideas. The "Indian Captive" remained in the city several days, pursuing bis enquiries, asking mere ly for information, and not seeking to make mo-uey by his htry. Ou close enquiry we discovered that he lived On raw meat, aud devoured things which are generally considered to be disgusting-' Ilis mode of llvin-r wis also of a decided Indian character, and utterly repugnant to ul) civilized notions of comlort. After a few days be found that tbe To 11 family, of which he was in search had removed to Warren, Trumbull eouuty, and thither be went. " On arriviiis there he found tint the n-rso.is -lie - .--.-. - ---- , wdsilier had most of ihem gone -to tamp meet- ing-in the neighborhood, nn I be ittunedintelv 'f started to that npot. Here be found that he was ; no reUu of the iodd fa-nily. lie jittruded considerable attention among the members of the cum p. meeting, and was takeu under tbe care of the Itev. VV'VlitdTU Mclntyre, a circuit preacher who took him to a Conference meeting, ami af terwards around some portions t f bis circuit.' Whilst witb this person the 'Indian Captive" "experienced religion." He broke bis scalping knife iu twogiving half lo the President of the Cotif reuce, and half to Mrl Mclntyre. At this time too he learned the Alphabet, being utterly unable to read" or write. At the end of bis wanderings he had reached Warren couuty, North Pennsylvania, where he eided with Mr. Mclntyre. Here he calculated on remaining a short lime, designing afterthatto make enquiries among the Cbataque Indians, and if no trace of his parents could be found, to cross over to Canada remain during the winter witb the Canada Indians, and then rejoin his tribe in the summer. On the 2bth of September, one month after the first publication of the narrative, we received a letter from Dr. Asa . Brajtoii, youngest son of the Elijah Brayton, previously referred to, and who was born after the loss of Matthew, stating that he bad seen the Herald's article copied into another paper, and giving some particulars of the loss of bis brother. About a week . afterwards Mr. Iiufus Brayton, cousin of the lost boy, called on U9, and made some enquiries relative to the 'Indian Captive." He. said that the missing boy would resemble him in color of hair, eyes, 4c. As there was no resemblance, we told Mr. Biay-ton so, and he returned satibfit d that this ended the matter. But the other members ot the family, moved by some uiiaccouutable impulse, were not sa:Ufied to let the matter rest there, and in a iew dys the second brother of the missing boy, Mr. Pfter Brayton. called on us. He went to Vtrren, lost nil trace of the id j-ct of his seurcb and then went home discouraged. ' On tbe 1 lib of the present moiitb (November) Mr. Wiilim Brayton. the uldest brother of the aiissiiig bo, and the oi.e who had accompatiiid him ou that uietii'.riiV.'e c otij,- huiiijii r-xpedi.tiori called on us. lif .x:-r,-8Sfd hi, firuidt-irmttia-tion not lr. ,, ., nV had" tbe "Indian Oapr ." - i-.HVr-'fi,Hi .Kjmsf- in the ini;t-r. . : i. V.J -. .- ' -v'e i.i.ii-ct:or.s y bat course tf par sue: n iU;'; .1 r ir.!. at it !.f,'. ir.-.i .ih iVi,.il tiie "I.fi'f.'jii Crtp'r-e." On Tiiviay, tbe 15 b ton!,, a I-irnier .it .w .lurk Stui- lui nr. . i'M.eylvAi.ia lii:e, drove over to Sug-ar Grove, ..where, tbe -Cftptiye" was . sta) ii g, and took bim over to bis house for a short stay. He had been 2one .but a short timer wher. a paper was recti v ed in Suear Grove, noticing the search instituted hy the Braytnns. A doctor of the place inme- diately wrote a letter to the family. Just after it was mailed, Mr. William Brayton arrived, learn ed the ?oure taken by the roan of wborn he was iu aearcb, a. id at ouce atarted after bim. Wbeu Win. iSravtou set out from home in search of the ;'Iudiau Captive " bis father it posed 00 him the necessity of looking out for two marks by which the lost brother could be identified. One was a scar 00 the top of the bead, caused by the eat of a razor, . which the father had made in lancing a boil, and the other was a scar on the great toe of the right foot, resulting from the cut of an axe. " When Wo. Brayton reached the farmers boose to which the "Indian Captive" had gone, it bad become dusk. On arrivirrg be merely expressed his wish to see the "Indian," without stating the object of tbe interview. - As be entered tbe room his heart beat with anxiety. . Hope and fear agitated bim, fox there eel the object of bis search, and a fe w moukecvls woald either end the suspense and e&ony of thirty-four years, or add the bitter pangs of disappointment. ; -, ..; . r. . A light was brought. The agiUted older bro ther looked anxiously at the nan, who retwraed his gaze vith sarprise not on mixed with apprehension. . The features and torn of tha "Indian." strengthened bis J7pian t once resolr ed to at once put an end to both Lis hopes ac 3 f;irs,Kiibadtl; c'.l:tTE!tdyira r:l uHeJ bis cap, then carefully parting the hair tert was the sear plainly visible, exactly in the spot described by the father, and unnistakable iu its character. With a quivering jreice William told the other to pull off his right boot. The foot was laid bare, and there, on the great toe, hot so strongly m arked as in the other case, bnt clearly descernible, was the scar. Almost afraid to trust his own eyes,' William called in a doctor, who at once poiuted oat the scars, and showed that they were undoubtedly caused by sesirp instruments. ! There etrald be 00 mistake about it now. The brother lost perhaps throegh the thoughtless' nesa of Wm Brayton when a boy was at length discovered by his means after thjrty-four"years of anxiety and sufferiug. Even then William would not commit himself too far, but told the newly found brother tbat be would tale him home, and await the decision of the father. The younger brother was at once eager to start. A letter was sent home, giving the glad news, and as soon as practicable the two set out in the same direction. They passed through rbis city without more than a few minutes delay, mere j leaving word for us in passing of the success "ul result of the search. At Clyde, where they .hanged cars for Carey, the utmost excitement eigned. and the throng to see tbe returned Indian Captive was so great that he could searcely, find breathing room. J . An old man there .came forward, examined him closely, and declared bis belief thai he was the boy seen by htm ambug the Pottawattamie Indians In Illinois, thirty years ago. At ever? station on the road home crowds gathered, and at Carey, where they Were expected to stop, hundreds wer collected) old men Who had searched for the lost boy a?ed mothers who had held him in their arms young men who had heard the story narrated by their parents. But the couple stopped five miles north of carey at Oregon station, and at once started for William Brav ton's house. .'" - - ';';- Here the fomily was gathered . The old man, 71 years of b lie and vigorous the brothers and the sisters.: . When the eldest brother entered wish his charge tb intense feeling that pervaded the hearts of uli in t!.e room can scarcely be imagined cani.t bo described. The old father arcse, placed bis trembling hand on tbe head of the stran.'er, and se:vrahed for tbe scur, wbicb be could scHr('ely see thrcush the mist that filled bis eyes. Then he knelt to examine the foot. For a raniii'ii! etvry bremih was hushed, and tbe hearts ul the otbr - relatives almost ceased to beat. Then the old man tottered to h is feet and wi th a g u sh of .teacs the- at ream of atfectioii which bad been pent ifp"for 31 years-fell on the neck of bis soa at hew Brayton! It is useless to attempt a descrifgiau of the scene thai W lowed. The iber.tin& had ao lemg se-cretly mourned for bis child the household pet; the brother who never forgot that it was from his company the little boy bad passed sway to a mysterious fate; the second brother who bad been his playmate; the sisters who had fondled their little brother in infancy all were gathered to share in that happy meeting. If one other could have been present! If the mother who bad in silent sorrow descended to the grave could have been spared to see thisduy, then in deed the cup of happiners would have beeu full to overflowing. . " : . ...- - The news of the return spread like wildfire. The return was on Thursday the l?th iust. For tbe next four days the house was besieged by anxious people,, eager to see the '"boy" so long lost, so strangely found. Old men who had shared with zeal in that weary and hopeless search thirty-four years ago, come up, and all who had known bim as a little boy, acknowledged the identity. ' The youngest brother. Dr. Asa Brayton, "who was born after the loss of Mitt hew, did not, of course, have the same means of prompt i'ide.ti-fication and placed Matthew under strict ex-amination. At length he, too, was fully siitisfied and acknowlelged tbat there was no longer a shadow of dubt about his being the long lost brother. Every doubter, after examining the matter thoroughly, gave up his doubts, and it is 11 o longer a matter of speculation in tbat neighborhood, but a fixed f.ct the '-IoJiaii Captive" m one and the same with the lost boy .Matthew Brayton. WHAT RE 13 LIE.E. Matlbf- Brayton ia a ma:i about 5 ft. 8 in. bisrb light complexion, bbinl eyes, and.raoder-ai-l dark hair. Lite roostT.f the family, he is nearly beardless. After hts.char.ge from Indian to civilized vostu we,; be "look'cold which settled in bis eyes," and caused a . serious inflammation, necssitating his now being under surgical treat ment. When we first met bim, about three months ago, be spoke EugUsh tolerably welt, and now has Improved very much in bis speech ! As lOng as we supposed him to have been stolen at three years old, bis good English was a difS culty in the way of believing his story, but a medical gentleman-: f great experience in eot h matters informed os shortly afterwards that be might be mistaken in his age wbea stolen, for it is not uncommon for a chiid of six or aeveu years of age to forget ita native tongue during a long sUy among people of another language, and when be bears It generally spoken again, to learn it as rapidly as if he had never kno wn an other language; iu fact" it seems to come to bim naturally, which is exactly the process described by the "Indian Captive, when be first explained it to os. . :r"-'rr : ---v-, : -, - : 210 n bis breast be ball some devices tatooed by the tribe when the feared his being rescued by tbe whites. On one thigh he bears some large scars from a deep gasH inflicted by a tomahawk and (itched Bp with bochskia stripe and a large thorn. He-bas new but two Iadiaa cariosities witb bias. One is bis. pipe of solid Sint, weigh ing nine .onnces, vbicb be said it took bim a month to drill out witb a piece of steel, bear's oil aad watec . The ther is an Indian dog, Kemi, of partly w'f breed, and which is eery obedient to commands given lim in Iadiaa language. HaUhewis nocb attached totiis dog, aiich cace sated bis Ufa. He generally sleeps a the Cozr w5 tst r 3 bT b,, t,'v". Matthew, at first, would eat nothing but raw meat, and now cannot eat it if more than just warmed. He can eat nothing that has salt in it. He speaks five different Indian languages, via: Suake, Copperhead, Crow, Utah, and Flat Head. Besides the marks on his person, and other means of identification,-Matthew Brayton has an nnmiatakeable resemblance to the rest of the family, particularly to the youngest brother. It is said that in oat parts of his countenance, he also strongly resembles the deceased Mrs. Brayton. 1 At first he was determined to go back to his tribe, but now 4ie begins to lb ink of staying where he is. Whether the . old restlessness will come bark to bim after a while cannot be told bat every inducement is held out to him to re main with his kindred. If ho should again leave it would be crdshiug blow to the uow happy fami ij. v ..-'---,- ; THE C.YITE0 TA.KILT. We paid a visit to the scene of the loss and the return, and spent some hours with the reunited family. It' was a day rever to be forgotten. Every person seen after taking tbe Sandusky, Dayton & CiuciunaU cars from Clyde, was excited by tha story; At Adriau and Carey it was the general theme of conversation. O.d men from adjoining counties had come up to ee the returned one, aud satisfy themselves. All were convinced, and all were excited. We foujid the Braytous to be farmers iu easy circumstances, and much respected by the community. They were opeu hearted, but shrewd and thorough going people, of New Engl md extraction. It was a touching sight to see the family together, and witness the happiness, too deep for expression, which reisrned among the family.. ..' Tbe aged pa triarcb, of seventy-three years, could notcontaiu his'delight. The oldest brother, William, ra-joiced in the thought that it was by Ai efforts tbat the missing brother bad been restored. The hearts of the sisters, as one of them said, ' jumped to him" at the firsr sight of the recov ered lost one. As they remarked, the -whole tamily accepted their new positions at once, and it appeared that the separation of so many years was but a dream. The remarkable youthful look of the whole family struck us with surprise. All of them looked at least tea years younger than the actual fact. : . It was "Thanksgi'viag Day when we were with that family. And what a Thanksgiving Hay for them! i There was a sad thought for the one whose presence would have crowned the happiness of the day.- There was none to murmur, but all to unite in the old patriarch's realiration of the text: '.-It was meet that we should make mer ry and be glad; for this" tby brother was dead and j'S" fcHve againt and was Irmt, and is found.' SONS OP MALTA. Grand Disclosures of the Ceremonies ttnd Myitenei of the Wonderfal Order. FIX ASD MO U E rc.Gw AKD SELL! From tbe Za&esville Aurora. In almost every town and city in this country, there is." a lodge of the Sons of Malta. This mysterious order took its rise in New Orleans some three or four years ago. There are two ae-count8given of its origin. It is 6aid by one ac count, to have originated with the army of Walker, the Filibuster," at the time that wothty was preparing to take Cuba. Another account says it originated ' during the ravages of the yellow fever, and was .intended to divert the minds of the frightened peopU, as well as to supply a fnnd for charitable purposes such as burying the homeless dead, Ac. . However it may have originated, it is not the order that outsiders take it to be; as we shall presently show. One of the brethren, who has been turned out of tbe important and secret office, the initials of which are "G. R. J. A.," has taken offence at . theorder, and ; communicated to ns the whole proceedings pass-words, grips, signs, Ac When about to become a member of the I. O. 9. M.. (Independent Order Sons Malta) the candidate or candidates presents himself or themselves in an outer room, where be meets a committee of officers of tbe loJge who come to him out of the lodge-room, with drawn swords in their hands, with a kind of tbree-barred sheet-iron hats on, which . hide their faces; these offi cers put test qoestions . to eaeh candidate; and any candidate who hesitates or falters, is allowed to depart in peaeej those who remain pay five dollars each, and the committee returns to the lodjeroom to report on the cases, and have them balotted fir. Tbe fund thus raised pars the rent of the room, and the balanci is expended in charities there are no other dues, for reasons which will appear hereafter. After the candidates are balotted for aud elec ted, the Grand Conductor goes out to the ante room and escorts the candidates to the inside entrance door where he pounds on the door with the hilt oi bis sword thre times the inside sen tinel raises a little slide in the door peepe orrtj and tbe chief officer from the. inside asks in a loud voice: "What is the cause of tbe bab-bubf The sentinel answers: "Strangers coming into campP To which the chief replies: "Let 'em rip. Here the door is nnbarred with a great claak-ing of chains and bolts, and the candidates are admitted. What a sight breaks npon their vision! Tbe room is nearly dark, as it is only lighted by a tamp of a-tcohol wbtch sits npon m coun in the middle of the room and throws its blue, flickering 'tight around npon the scene And iirb scene! The members, dressed aa out citizens have seen them npon the street, are ranged round the room ties: cae T"?a upon Lis back like a corpse, and another kneels down ' cpoa' bis kuea beale bim ia the- aUltude cf a taour&er All is still as a tomb around the room, excert ' jlfarlling Hcbchition. and the pale lamp flickers upon the scene. Beside that cr fS ii, which is covered with a pall or black cloth, marches an old man who carries a musket and bay e et upon his shoulder an old man whose white locks of hair bang in weird an I tangled masses about his neck witb his left hand be snatches uu meaningly at his hair, and then, mutters to himself as he turns upon bis heel with tniiilirv precision and marches back and forth, passing and repassing, the black palled coffin and flickering light. At either end of the coffin stands a 6 jure draped in white from bead to foot, with uplifted hands and upturned eyes, muttering lips from which no sounds issne, and nothing of the face visible but the eyes and mouth. At one eud of the room sits the Chief biasing iu red and gold colors but motionless at tbs other end sits a skeleton with a gilded crown u pot his headj with one bony hand pointing upward, while with the other be clasps to bis fitsshlesa ribs the figure of an infant at either side of the room aits the Grand Chancellor and Recorder. Each and all as motionless as tbe Coffin or tbe skeleton. Around this coffin the candidates march in an oblong ring, passing f rther from the coffin aud nearest to the members and officers thus leaving the old man room to pace to and fro, up and down the room. -The Grand Cjnductor marches with drawn sword at the head, and the Grand Sargent of the sappers and miners marches also with drawn sword, at the tail of the line.f cant didates for initiation. " Three times round the line marches twice in -painful silence, through which nothing is beard but the clanking of sword scabbards as they strike at each step, the letTs of the C inductor and Sargent during the thir l round an organ or melodeon strikes up a Lw, wailing, tremulos, will, hollow tune, which is echoed back by the members in a low deatt nous, while the bid man . marches more rapidly aud mutters b.uder and louder until, as the candidates finish the last round tbe G. C. (as the chief is called) says in a deep voice. '-Peace, venerable father? Life is made up of sorrow, and the world is ripening for sorrow greater than thine! Peacel Peace! Be still thou wounded heartl" To which alt ihe members respond: ' Peace! Peace! Ba stilil ' then the music stops and the old man resumes his quiet march. The candidates are now arranged around the G. 14. who questions thttu as to their motive and intentions. If the answers are satisfactory (as they always' are) the candidates are Conducted to the chair of the skeleton where a person, hiden behiod the grim figure, ad ministers an ob? ligation to each wbicb binds him from the cradle (represented by an inforit) never to divulge what he may there sea. or learn. After sstimiug the obligations the candidates are conducted back to the Q. C, through th smi scene of silence and sorrowt who gives them some advice a-fter-srhich bey are conducted out to the anteroom. And th's ends the first scene. 1 : - SCENE SECO.VD. After the candidates go oat and the d,or is closed, the memoefs iu an iusmr.t sprlns to the-feet, light up the room, throw off their gowns, put away the coffin. Sic , and prepare for fun. In the menu time the candidates are being hlir.d-folded ao tbat they cannot see; in this condition they are conducted to the door again by the same parties as before; the door is asin rapped upon, and this fi na, G C- sys in a loud voice: -What ia it makes the alarm!" "To which th Sentinel replied-. "Friend".! Who will do us no barm?" To which G. C. answer: "Bid thm, Beware! -Beware! v And eleoine to. enter here!" To whit h all the members respond, "Welcome to enter bertl'V v , s The candidates nre then led in, in single file each holding to- the coat-tail of. tbe other. In total blindness they are thus marched about the room Several times while the room is lighted brtlliauily. All is now silence and crins cept on the part of tbe- candidates, who are steruly commanded to indulge in 'No Levity." They are brought to the chair of the Grand Comuiauder, where they are asked all inanuerof q 1 rattans, touching their fitness to bear anna, to swim, to march, as to the coiditiou of their health, their teeth, ic, ic, as to their moral character whether they have been or are, intemperate whether they - have overstepped tbe bounds of chastity, and do on. In order to get this iuabrmauou one of the previous y initiated heads the line and stammers out auswrs to the questions, gradually and painfully making himself out a mi ib ty bad fellow. -Ttie others, who are blinded and cannot see, of course bold themselves' iu honor bound to speak out the whole truth iu such a 6o!emn place as they imagine Ibis still to be as they cannot see bow the scene has changed. At each answer tbe G. C. says let it be recorded," and th6 recorder singl out iu a low, hallow tone, as be writes it down ju j a great book: ."I bes beeu so recorded!' Note, j Tne records in that book icust be interesting! " During these questions the candidates are tried, to test tbeir ability to swim, to sing, to play the drum or instruments and it tnut be amusing to see staid. fOir citizens lyirig down face foremost upon the fl.or, and ''striking oul" j as if swiming for dear lifo from Florida of Cn baj as wll as going through otber tests to a simi ' lar ridiculous character. But thii, each man thinks, we suppose, tbt be must do as all good 'Sons tf Malta" have do e before bim, and therefore be goes the hole figure. After tiougb of the above questions are asked and answered, the caiididnies tr.ke aiKilher a;lemn obligation having reference to tLecou-1 quest of Cuba, a Lit h is srd ministered to them in their blind state, while each places his band upon a big book, which is always carried in pro- cession, and which contains nothiug bat tbe pictures of two J at k asses, one in tbe prime of life and the other in a rapid 'detliue. After this the candriates are told that they mast retire - fr a mo nent an i prepare to go through a trying ordeal, which will severcljtest their iierves ad maiihood. They retire, and so ends scene second. " ; . 6VEXE TUIRT.. The candidates are uow brought in one at a time", still bliud folded. Each candidate if brought in, rapidly marched around the room, double quick lime between two puard. and is then made to run np a steeply -fnclinrd ladder composed of rollers, which are set close together, and which turn under bis feet at every step, and make his legs fly past each other like spokes of a runaway buggy when be gets w the top of this ladder he lands npon a platform, where stands two more guards, who turn bim ab t ai.d tells bim to sit down; be sits down, and they give him a shove down the ladder, yer the ratters. Without any eled, be rides this way 10 the bottom of the ladder, wber be ttr.l es a spring ig board, just as it is jerked up by two stout men, which sends bim with a bound ap towards the celling of ibe room -as be comes down, be, is caught upon the board in a sitting pnetsre one pf bis lgs is then pulled about so that be ia astride of the board ; and ierthia condition he is carried around the room in a procea-ion of the members, while drams and gongs are being bee-ton io a cioct furious manner. , . By this time the candidate, blind as be is, begins to see throush the matter, and gets scared or riled according to the state of his feelj3, but H is too late to atop. . -" Aft taking hha rotfsd the the Vard , n C. ra tl tt t f w.rn nnn 1 1 A 1 at tial nniMtt tba hr.ri ia Lowered at oca endl down lo the month of a large sheet Iron cylinder something similar is the smoke-stack of steamboat aud as he sbdea downa rough voice) whispers in hir ear crawl for your life follow ing this adviee be crawla througb the thing t while all bauds are pounding on tta-outaide of il with sticks Just as be comes out, he is taken again up the steep ladder of rollers to the platform at the trp. He is now told to stand ep straight, and diveat himself of all . matter that will spoil by coming in contact with water. While be is being thes prepared for the watety the members have got ready a large canvas sheet with rone all round it; this ia placed belied him, and held outstretched by as many as can get hold of the ropes ; as soon as all is ready, tbe) candidate ia thrown from tbe platform back op on this sheet, and away be goes op and down-no soorer down than up ac&in like S&ncLff Pacza tossing him, at which time be is let down upon a tnattrass fro-n which he is lifted tack upon the platform, where he is set upon the top roller with bis feet directed towards the bottom j an umbrella without any covering ia then hoisted and given to bim in his left band, while in his right hand is placed a cow bell h Is told to hold op the umbrella and ring the bell, and thes ho sails down aver the rollers into a tab, fall c4 wet sponges, at the bottom. Here tbe blinds are taken from bis eyes and be beholds himself surrounded by about fifty persons, in their ahirf sleeve, all laughing at him. At first the candidate is astonished, then he? (rets angry, and finally he laughs with the restf and becomes a zealous member of the Ysaera ble Order. .' He is then instructed how be is to get into tLaf lodge. He is instructed to come to the outsidet door, sneeze twice, and rap one, at this, the seti tine! raises tbe slide or wicket in the door atid thr candidate ears. ,4Sqai,n to which the secti nel says. " Bob," then both say "Sqnibob," and the member enters. He then ad va eves to tha inside door, wher be sneexes once and blows hie nose, and raps, at which tbe slide is lifted and the candidate savs " Laeer, to which the seuti nel responds Beer " and then both say "Swel Glass " and the candidate entersproceeds tor the centre of tha room where he flaps bis two open hands at the top of bis brad, after the manner of a Jacks"" Sapping his ears, and takes hii seat. These signs will give admission into any bdee of the Sous in the world if they are prop erlv given. There are more of these ceremonies, bet these are the chief of them. '-.-.' Of course we do not vouch for the truth of all this, but it is probably true. We tell the tale aA it was told to us. Timely Advice. The editor of the Medical Reformer remarks that, as iu the spring and early summer, the sec-siblings" cf the digestive organs are iccreaatJ the full diet of winter will, if persisted in, iuduca fever. - This is by no means a new discovery.- Tbe ancients named the month of February, wben their spring began, from Jebrvm a fever, and wisely recommended, as a preparative for the .heats of summer, judicious exercise, light diet, and tbe full and f ree use of water. Professor Holloway, tLe distinguished English practitioner, bas done somethtug more than this. He has discovered and introduced two remtdice for all the derangements incident to a chaxge of temperature, which bare saved the lives of thousands of unacclimated travelers and sojourner, in every regiou between tbe equator and tbe poire When a sudden transition from cold to heat pro duces dyspepsia, liver complaint, fever, diarrheas) or dysentery, Holloway's Pills seem to subdue the disturbance in the system at ence, and to bring all its functions into harmony with the new atmospheric influences by which it is surround ed. Where the shock occasioned by tbe change affects the skin or ?la:ids, the Ointment, in com- j hination with the Pi lis. soon puts the external or ganization into a healthy condition. Under these circumstances, common prudence ngests tbe propriety of having both remedies always at hand at the commencement of ibe nam mer. and of providing a supply of them before starting on a journey or voyage. In this climate1 . sumn5er aud autumn are, unquestionably, the seasons most prejudicial to health, and therefore; nothing should then be left undone that will have the effect of fortifying and bracing up the system, purifying biood. and . putting the digestive apparatus in good working order. So far as eat observation goes, Holloway's Pills will infallibly secure these results. Families wbo have habitue ally used them for years as a Spring, Summer and Fall medicine, declare that a complete ex emption' from the complaints usual at those sea sons bas been the invariable consequence of their exhibition. This we can readily believe, know ing as we do, that they exercise a triple inflaencsi upon the interna! organs. They purify the fiuidr remove obstructions, and invigorate the digestive powers. There are few systems so healthy aa not to require such helps to Mature at this criti cl period of the vear, and it i therefore obvious) that a course of Hollo waj's PiHs is propar, as SI protective measure. Boston "Journal." Incendiarism ia Virginia. Cbaklestow. Dec Zi "Shortly after the execution of Brown, at 4 whilst the body was being taken to tha depot, sjr rreat excitement was occasioned in the town by-ibe arrival of a horseman announcing that. Wbetland, the late residence of George W, Tar ner, receatly hot atllarper's Ferry, was on reJ and tbat the flames were extending to the farrst buildings. Wm. F. Turner, who was io town and who baj left home at ten o'clock, said that several of hist horses bad died very suddenly, and also seres s bee p. It was supposed they bad been poisoned and it was intended to have their stomach ana' ljsed. - The stock or Mr Castlemae and Mr. Myers, irf the same neighborhood, has also died very my' terioonly. The exeitemnt was vert great, an J Col. Davit had the Faqtiier Cavalry in readiness? to go out and enquire into the truth aboct the fire. SicajagTieLa AfTAirt. Washigto, Dae, 2. Private advices from Nicaragua report every thing qsiel with the exception of a fear of aa invasion by Gen. Walker. President ITartlac and the people bav the greatest confidence i he friendly disposition of the Doited States aii the letter's determination to icyrreEi CUilasUr , ing. --". '- " ' - " - Much disappoint went wai expressed ai tl son arrival of our iliaisltr, Ur. D:miryJ s;? soppoeed that be woald oot leave Cot! Jc If fore January. j President ifartiSex ad mils that Ifong, Zi.f: has failed to fJU his contract, but Commccr Vanderbilt's propoaition to open the transit rt; 'j does not seea to meet with snnch Caver - MaMiswawMBwasaBwawMswaBSwMawsaMBBBawaaw 0 ffyMr. Samuel Hard: r 7, cf TUrtzzt, v-1 Monday cve&icg thrown f.om Lis bent ia tlij Tillage, and so eer1ceJy iEjured as to cs.;:2 dcth instaetly. His teck was brcbtsu- . "gj-Tie Dytoa papers cf pc;e lis!:: 1 c ." tie new rctnfr Etary ia 12 at c::r, ca t j' "1" dCl I'""" jc, - ---. rvv rvw r" )"i'ri tve '