Iowa news. [volume] (Dubuque, Upper Mississippi Lead Mines, Wisconsin Territory) 1837-1841, 1838-01-06
The Lost Child.
THRILLING STORY

In the county Of Ulster, in the neighborhood
Of Pennsylvania, lived man, whose name
was LIE Fever; and the grandson ola French
man, who was Obliged TO fly to this country
at tho revocation Of the cdict Of Nantes He
might well have been called the LAST of man
kind, for he possessed plantation on the ve-
ry verge OF the valley towards the Blue Noun
,ans. place Of refuge for animals of the deer
kind.
This man having family Of eleven chill
drcu, (a'hing by no means uncommon in that
country,) was greatly alarmed one morning at
missing the youngest, who was about years
Of age---he disappeared about 10 o'clock. Tie
Jis,raenei t..,.ii~ souph arnr h;,n l.. ,i.n .;u.
er and in the fields, but to no purpose. Terri
fed to an extreme degree, they nnitedtwith
their neighbors in quest of him. They enter
ed the woods, which they beat over with the
most scrnpulous attention. A thousand tines
they called him by name, and were answered
only by the echoes of the wilds. They then
assembled themselves at the foot ofthd noun
tain of Chataenicrs Cor chestnut trecsl Without
being able 10 bring The least intelligence oil
the child. After reposing themselves iid some
minutes ,hcy formed into different bands
and night coming on, The parents in despair
refused to return home. for their frislA con-
stan,ly increased by the knowledge thsy had
Of the mountain cat, an animal SO raThcious
that the inhabitants cannot always defend
themselves against their attacks. Then they
painted TO their Imagination tho horrid idea OF
wolf, or some other dreadful ANIMAL, dcyo,,r.
ing their darling child. "Derick, my poor lit
lie Derrick! where art ,hou!" frequently ex-
claimed the mother, in the most poignAnt Lam
guage; but all was Of no avail.
As soon as daylight appeared. they hncw-
cd their search, but as upsuccesslnlly the
preceding day. Fortunately an Indian laden
with furs, coming from an adjacent village,
called at the house Of lie Fever. intending to
rcpose himself there as he usually did On his
travelling through that part Of the country. He
was much surprised to find no one at home but
an old negress, kept there by her infifmities. -
"Where is my brother?" said the Indian -
'Alas!' replied the negro woman, The mas
lost his little Derrick. and all the neighborhood
are employed in looking after him I'M tho
woods" II was then three O'clock in the az
ternoon. ''Sound the horn;'' said the Indian,
.stry and call your master home Il will find
his child" The horn was sounded. and as
soon rs tho father returned, the Indian asked
for tho shoes and stockings that Derrick had
worn last. He then ordered his dog, which,
he brought with him, 10 smell Of them, and
then taking the honse for his centre, he descr-
bed eiIce Of d quarter ofu milo, norni Diane
ter; ordering the dog to smell the earth where
yer he led him. The circle was not compile
ted when the sagacious animal began TO bark.
This sound brou .ht some feeble ray Of hope
to The disconsolate parents. The dog follow
I'd the scent, and barked again, the party pur-
sued him with all their speed, but soon lost
sight of him in The woods. Half an hour af-
forwards they heard him again, and saw him
return. The countonance Of the poor dog was
visibly altered; an air Of Joy seemed to AMI
mate him, and his gestures seemed to indicate
that his search was not in vain.
~ am sure he has found the child" ex-
claimed the Indian. But whether dead or a.
1.-Two, was at present the cruel state of sus-
pense. The Indian then followed him to the
foot Of large tree where lay the child in an
enfcebled state, nearly approaching death.
He took it tendcrly in his arms, and hasti-
ly carried it to the disconsolate parents. Hap
PLY, they were both in some measure prepa-
red to receive the child. Their ioy was SO
great that it was more than quarter Of an honr
before they could express their gratitude to
the kind restorcr Of tIeirchiId. Words cam
not express the affecting scene. After they
had bathed the face Of the child with tears
they threw themselves on the neck OF the In
dian, whose heart In unison melted with tears.
Their gratitude was then extended to tho good
dog--they caTessed him with indispensable g.