A MYSTERY OF HALF A CENTURY CLEARED UP AT LAST.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2821, 10 April 1882, Page 3

A MYSTERY OF HALF A CENTURY CLEARED UP AT LAST.

The Canadian papers say news from the North-west Territory is to the following effect: —An old and wellknown Indian who has just died, before his death made a confession which entirely cleared up what had been a painful mystery for full half a century. Fifty years ago, Nicholas Garland, a pioneer, took a tract of land situated in what is now the township of Beckwith, in the county of Lanark, built a cabin on it, and proceeded to clear away the dense forest standing upon the tract. At that time he had a wife and one small child, a very pretty little girl named Alice. One day JAlice did not return from the edge of the clearing, where she had been playing with two other children. An alarm was given, and all the woodsmen in the country, thereabouts joined in the search, which lasted for many days, but resulted in no clue to the missing child, and the general verdict arrived at by the hunters was that Alice had been carried aw ay and devoured by one-of the bears with which the country then abounded. This conclusion seemed to be corroborated by the discovery of some clean small bones a few months afterward in a deep hollow a couple of miles from Garland’s cabin. They were gathered carefully together and hurried by the father and mother,of, Alice near their home. All the people for miles around attended the funeral, which was the first ever held : in that section by the whites. , The loss of her; child and tho terrible strain of the long suspense and the ghastly discovery subsequently broke down the strong constitution of Mrs Garland, an I she died of a broken heart not long after the funeral. Mr Garland, after his wife’s death, became hard and ascetic, never referred to his trouble, never associated with his neighbors, and has ever since lived a hermit in the cabin he first built, ThS old Indian who died yesterday, however, says he saw Alice on that day. when she was playing with her companions on the clearing, became fascinated with her childish beauty, and carried her away and raised her as one of his own family. When she became marriageable she was thorougly Indianised and her abductor managed to have her married to one of his own sons. She is now living in Bruce country, and is mother of a large family. She has never shown that she had any recollection of her parents or home, and appears to be happy. The dying Indian said that so well had she been cared for that he believed no one could have convinced her of her real origin, or induced her to change her lot, and he added that’Jno one but himself and the son who married her was ever made acquainted with her history. The story is believed to be true, and causes a profound sensation.