Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1840-11-06
LOST CHILD RESTORED.

An event which occurred near Briancon,
says 'Gilley's Waldensian Researches will
give some notion of the incidents winch en-
blazon the mountain life and field sports in
tho region of the Alps.
A peasant with his wife and three children
had taken up his summer quarters in cha
let, and was depasturing his llocks on one OF
the rich Alps Which ovcrlung the Durance.
The odcs, boy was an idiot, about eight
years of age the second was five years DID,,
and dumb, and the youngest was an infant.
1t so happened that the infant was left one
morning in charge of his brothers; and the
three had rambed some distance from the
chalet before they were missed. When the
mother went in search of the little wanderers
she found the two elder, but could discover
no traces of the baby. The idiot boy sccm-
cd to be in transport Of joy, while the dumb
child displayed every symptom of alarm and
terror. In vain did the terrified parent en-
dcavor to collect what had become Of the
lost infant. The antics of one and the fright
of the other explained nothing. The dumb
boy was almost bcrcft of his senses, while
the IDIOT appeared to acquired an unusal de-
gree of n,irth and expression. He danced
about, laughed, and made gcsticuations as if
he we're initiating the action Of one who had
caught up something of which he was fond
and Rugged to his heart. This, however,
was of some slight comfort to the poor wo-
man, for she imagined that some acquain-
lance had fallen in with the children, and
and had taken away the infant But the
day and night wore away and no tidings OF
the lost child.
On the morrow, when the parents were
pursuing their search, an eagle flew over
their heads at the sight of which, the idiot
renewed his antics, and the dumb hoy chung
to his father with shrieks Of anguish and af-
fright. The horrible truth then burst upon
their minds, that the miserable infant had
been carried of in the talons of a bird OF
prey; and the half wttcd elder brother was
happy at his radiance Of an object of whom
he was jealous.
On the morning on which tho accident
happened, an Alpine wager,
Whose JOY in the wildcrncss-,o breathe,
The difficult air of the Iced mountains top
had been watching near an eagles seat, I'M
der the hope OF shooting the bird upon hc'
return to her nest. The wager, waiting IL
all the anxious perseverance of true sports
man, beheld the monster slowly winging heI
way towards the rock behind which he was
concealed. Imagine his horror, when upon
her near approach, he heard the cries an(
distinguished the figure of an infant in he
fatal grasp. In an instant his resolution wa
formcd-to fire at the bird at all hazards, the
moment she should aight upon her nest-ant
rather kill the child than to leave it to he tori
in pieces by the horrid devourcr. With ;
silent pray and steady aim,th mounlaince
poised his rife. The ball went directly
through the heart of the eagle. and in min
ute after, this gallant hunter of the Alps, hat
the unuttcrablc delight of snatching the chile
from the nest, and bearing it away in tri
umph. 1t was drcadfully wounded in one o
its arms and sides, but not MORALLY, and with
in ,wcnty-tour hours after it was first missed
he had the satisfaction Of restoring it to it
mothers arms.