FIVE SMALL PILGRIMS.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17393, 2 March 1922, Page 5

FIVE SMALL PILGRIMS.

TREK PROM SYDNEY TO MELBOURNE. The Sydney "Daily Telegraph" of Februarv 14th and 16th contained an amazing story, of the trek of five small pilgrims, aged from fifteen to five, who left Balmain, Sydney, on a long trek to Melbourne. ' Thev are the children of David Thomas White, of 32 Curtis road, Balmain. He is a widower and a boilermaker at Tooth'* 1 Brewery. They were all right when he left for work at 7 a.m on Saturday, but had disappeared at 1 p.m. on the same day, when he returned. Their names and ages were: Daisy Minnie (15), Grace Kathenne (13), David Thomas (10). Ronald Patrick (6), and Constance Kathenne Some two years ago (says the "Telegraph") the family came to Sydney from Melbourne, and settled in Balmain. The eldest girl, Daisy, has been keeping house for her father, and has been in charge of the others. Evidently the brilliant scheme of a visit to Melbourne entered her head, for she left the following note for- her father:—"Dear Dad,—We have all gone to Melbourne for a holiday to see our dear old grandpa. We have not seen him for nearly two years. bo good-bye.—Your Daughter, Daisy. Immediately he found the note White informed the nolice, and all metropolitan stations were notified to be- on the look-out for the wanderers. Next day the element of mystery surrounding the sudden disappearance of the children was solved by the Melbourne police, wto were notified *of their arrival at their grandfather s home in Montague, a suburb of Melbourne. . , , , The children staled that money had been sent over to them from Victoria by relatives to buj clothing, but this had been saved up, and the children planned to make the trip' to Melbourne later on. ... On Saturday they put their plan into execution. They left Sydney by the steamer Karoola, which arrived in Melbourne yesterday morning. Gracie, who is only thirteen years of age. has had considerable theatrical experience for a child, and admitted that she had exploited-this talent on the boat by performing acrobatic turns, for which slie was given 25s by the passengers.