THE MISSING CHILD.

Dunstan Times, Issue 967, 29 October 1880, Page 3

THE MISSING CHILD.

West Union, Adams County Ohio, July 13.—Ginger Ridge, a rugged, sterile upland about six miles north-west from here, is much excited over the killing of an enormous black snake which for several years has played havoc with the farmers’ flocks. Hogs, poultry, calves, sheep, <tc., have mysteriously disappeared, always at uiglit. Two years ago a baud of gypsies were camped in the neighhourhoodj and they were accused of stealing the missing property. John Rainforth, a farmer, who greatly suffered from the depredations, swo.e out a warrant before Squire Peter Anns and had several of them arrested.' They had a preliminary examination, hut nothing was proved against them, and they were discharge!. Tbuy went away muttering threats of vengeance. Mr Rainforth had a goldtn-haired little daughter, four years oi l, whose beauty and sunny temper were the pride of her parents. On the day after the arrest of the gypsies little Nellie R linfonh was missed. She was last seen playing with a pet lamb on the edge of a rocky ridge, a short distance from the house. Search was »*,ade for her, hut neither she nor lamb was found. Tho whole neighbourhood was aroused sud men scoured the fields and woods for miles around. Mr Rainforth suspected the gypsies ot abducting her, out of revenge for their arrest, and followed the party across the Ohio River into Lewis County, Ky. When ho came up with them they indignantly denied all knowledge of the child’s whereabouts, aud a search of their camp failed to discover his little daughter. He returned to his home broken-hearted.

One day last week Mr Painfnrth was plantings field of about twenty five acres, situated near the house. He had not been at work long when bo discovered what at first seemed to be a fresh furrow across the middle of the field- Ho stopped work and followed the track to a fence which separated the field -from a dense thicket of underbrush. On the fence he found blood and some sheep’s wool, which at once convince 1 him that'th'e body of a’Sherp bad been dragged across the leave; He went

to this pasture ami found that a largo Cotswold ram was missing. Accompanied by four or five neighbours, Mr Rainforth made search for the missing sheep. The track through the bush was marked by drops of Wood and tufts of wool. About sixty rods from the fence they came to a ledge of rocks, forming one side of a steep hill. The track led directly to this ledge, in which was found an opening, of "uffioieut size to admit the body of a large man. A largo charge of giant powder was exploded in the opening, ami the rocks were thrown asunder by the blast. When the smoke cleared away the farmers drew near and peered down the opening, and there, among at least a wagon-load of bones, lay a huge black snake, quivering from bis hurt. The farmers waited until the snake was dead, and attached a chain to the body and dragged the monster out of the hole. He measured fifteen feet seven inches in length, and the biggest part of his body was over two feet in circumference. He had an ugly looking head and enormous fangs, sharp as needles. The missing ram lay beside him, crushed out of shape, and covered with a sticky, glutinous substance. I visited, the spot to day and saw the monster snake. When I was there, men were at work clearing the den of the bones. Tn a corner one of them picked np a human skull. It was small, like a child’s, and he brought it forward to the light. Mr Rainforth was, standing by my side,, when the man came towards ns with the skull in his hand. He glanced at it, and, staggering against a tree, buried his face in his hands and burst into tears.

“Poor little Nellie, he cried, through his sobs. “My Ood, it is horrible 1” After a time he controlled his feelings and told me the story of his little daughter’s mysterious disappearance two years ag«. The bones of the little one were gathered together and buried in the family plot in the cemetery at West Union. The discovery was kept from Mrs Rainforth, for the poor woman has never ceased to mourn for her lost child, and her husband feared that this intelligence wnild seriously affect her, she neing in delicate health. There can be no doubt as to the indentily of the skeleton, for a gold chain which she wore around her neck was found among the bleaching bones.—Exchange.