Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1846-04-30
THE LOST CHILD.
A SCENE AMID THE ALPS.

An event which occurred near Brl-
ancon, will give some notion of the in
cidents which emblazon mountain life
and field sports in these regions. A
peasant, with his wife and three chill
dren, had taken up his summer quar-
tiers in a chalet, and was pasturning
his focks on one of the rich Alps
which overhang the Durance. The
Oldest boy was an idiot, about eight
years of age, the second was five years
old and dumb, and the youngest was
an infant. 1t SO happened that the
infant was left one morning in the
charge ofhis brothers, and the three
had rambled to 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 seemed to
be in a transport ofjoy,while the dumb
child displayed every symptom of alarm
and terror. In vain the terrified pa
rent endeavored to collect what had
become Of the lost infant. The antics
of the one and The fright Of the other,
explained nothing. The dumb boy
was almost bereft of his senses, while
the idiot appeared to have acquired an
unusual degree Of mirth and express
sion. He danced about, laughed, and
made gesticulations, as if he were mita
ting the action of one who had cuaght
up something of which he was fond,
and Rugged it to his heart. This how
ever was of some slight comfort to
the poor woman, for she imagined that
some acquaintance had fallen in with
the children and 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 pursu-
ing their. search, an eagle flew over
their heads, at the sight of which the
idiot renewed his antics and the dumb
boy chung to his father with shrieks
of anguish and alright. The horrible
truth then burst upon their minds,
that the miserable infant had been
carried off in the talons Of a bird Of
prey; and that the half-witted elder
brother was delighted at his rid
dance of an object Of whom he was
jealous.
On the morning of which the acct
dent happened, an Alpine yearger,
"Nhose joy was in the wilderness, to breathe
The difficult air of the iced mountains top"
had been watching near an eagles
nest, in the hope of shooting the bird
upon her return to her eyre. After
waiting IN all the anxious perseverance
of true sportsman, he beheld the
monster slowly winding her way to-
wards the rock behind which he was
concealed. Imagine his horror when
upon her nearer reproach he heard the
cries, and distinguished the figure ofan
infant IN her fatal grasp. In an instant
his resolution was formed-to fire al
the bird at all hazards, the moment
she should a!ight upon her nest, and
rather to kill the child than leave it to
be torn in pieces by the horrld devour-
er. With silent prayer and steady
aim the mountaineer poised his rifle. -
The ball went directly through the head
or heart of the eagle, and in minute
afterwards the gallant hunter of the
Alps had the unutierable delight Of
snatching the child from the nest, and
bearing i away in triumph. 1t was
dreadfully hurt by the eagles talons il
one Gifts arms aud sides, but not NOR
tally; and within twenty -four hours at