Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1842-12-30
MISC ELL ".
From the Christian Souvenir.
THE LOST CHILDREN.
BY MRS. sIGoURNEY.

T-rnr was sio, ness in tho lweil;nr Of The en-
igrant. o''v. i'rd upon nis hu'nhle bed, he de
pended on that nursing care which n wife, scarce
ly less enieebIed Than himself WIS able to bes'ow
A child, in its third summer, had been recent,
laid 10 its last rest, heneaih turf mound under
their window. Its image was in HE heart of il.
mother, she ,enderly ministered to her husband
'Wifc, am afraid think too much OF poor liz.
tie Thomas. He WINS well and rosy, when we
left on home, scarcely yeur since. Sometimes
i feel, if we had hut continued there, our durliuo
won not have died.
The tear which had long tremblcd, and been
repressed by the nnx'rlies Of conluga s6licude
burst forth AT these words. IL freely oyrrhOwed
tho brimIning eyes, aud relieved the suffacating
emotions which had strivrn for the mastery.
Do not repronch yourself, dear husband. His
time had come. He is happier there Than here.
Lei us be thankful for those that are spared
II seems TO me that The little girls are growing
pale. ! am afraid TINT you confine them too close
ly to this narrow house, aud 10 the sight Of sick
ness. The weather Is growing more settled. You
had better send them out to change the air, and
run about nj their will. Mary, lay The baby on the
bed Ivy me, and ask mother 10 let little sister and
you go ont for a ramble.
The mother assenled, and the little children.
who were four and six years old departed IuIl OF
delight a clearing had been made in front of
their habiIaion, and by ascending knoll in its vi
ciniiy another dwelling might he seen, enviroued
with The dark spruce and henIock. In the rear
OF these houses was a wide expanse of ground in.
terspersed with thickes, rocky activities, aud
patches of forest trees while far away one or TWO
lakes peered up, with their blue eyes deeply frn
ged The spirits of the children, as they entered
this Enclosed region, were like those of The birds
that surrounded them. They payfnlly pursued
each other with merry laughter, aud such Joy
Gus sense Of liberty as mikes The blood course
Hgbtsomely through the veins.
Little ,Iaua o IS I'm thartb han h.,
before. We will see what lies behind those high
NILS tor il is but just noon, aud we can get buck
long before supper time.'
70 yes lei us follow that bright, blue bird, and
see what he Is flying after. But don't go in among
those brais that 'enr the clothes SO, for mother has
no time 10 mend Them
Sister, weet sister, here are some snow -droDs
in this green hollow, exactly like those in my old
dear garden, so far away. How pure they are
and cool, like The baby's face when The wind blows
on II! Father and mother will like us to bring
them sone.'
Filling their little aprons with the spos, md
still searching for something new, or beautiful
they prolonged their ranlble, unconscious of The
flight oil ti1ie, or extent Of space they were ira
versing. AT length, admonished by the chilInoss
which often marks The declining hour, of the ear.
ly days OF Spring they turned their course home.
ward. But the returning clue was lost aud they
walked rapidly, only 10 plunge more inextricabIy
in The mnZes Of the wilderness.
Sister Mary, are these pretty snow drops good
TO eat? am so hungry, and my feet ache, and
will not co.
'Let me liz you over this brook, little Jane, and
Mold tighter by my hand aud walk us brave MS Won
k"n, thai we may get home, and help mother Sc.
ne table,.
We won't go so far the next time will we p
Nhat ~ The reason that cannot see any better p
is NOT mat the root Of our house, dear Jane
and and the thin smoke curling up among the trees /?
Many times before hnve | thought so. and found
it only q rock or a mist
As evening drew lis veil, the hapless wsndsr-
ers, bew'ldered, hurried TO and fro, calling for
their parents or shouting for help, until their
strength wins exhausted. Torn by brnmbles, and
their poor feet bleeding from tie rocks which
strewed their path, they sunk down, moaning hit
teriy. The fears that overpower the br"ri of
tinid child, who for the first time finds night a,-
proaching without she ter or profession, wrought
on I'll" youngest to insuppvrlabe anguish. The
e'de', filled with the sacred warmth Of sistery al
iect,on' after the first paroxysms of grief, seemed
to forget herself, and sitting up on tho damp