The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1846-08-01
For the Girls and Boys,
TheLost Child.

An event which occurred near Briancon,
will give some notion Of the incidents which
embazon mountain life and field sports in
these regions A peasant, with his wife and
three children, had taken up his summer
quarters in a chalet, and was depasturng his
hocks on one ofthe rich Alps which overhang
the DURANGO, 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 IL so happened that the infant was
left one morning in charge ofhis brothers, and
the three had rambled TO some distance from
The chalet before they were missed. When
the mother went in search the little wand
erers, she found the two elder, but could dis
cover no traces of the baby The idiot boy
seemed TO be in n transport ofJoy, while the
dumb child displayed every symptom ofalarm
and terror In vain the terrified parent en-
cIeavored 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 ofmirth and expression. lie
danced about, laughed, and made gesticula-
tons, us ifhe were Initiating the action of one
who had caught up something Of which he
was fond and Rugged il to his heart. This,
however, was of some slight comfort 10 the
quaintance had fallen in with Tie children,
and had taken away the infant. But the day
and night wore away and no tidings ofthe
lost child. On the morrow, when the parents
were pursuing their search, an eagle flew o.
yer their heads,at the sight of which the idiot
renewed his antics, and the dumb boy clung
10 his father with the shrieks of anguish and
alright The horrible truth then burst upon
their mindsthat the miserable infant had been
carried off in the talons ola bird of prey; and
that the half witted elder brother was deligh-
ted nj his radiance of an object of whom he
was Jealous. On the morning in which the
accident happened, an Alpine yeager,
"Whose 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 oishooting the bird upon her return to
her eyrie. After waiting in all the anxious
perseverance of true sportsman, he beheld
the monster slowly winding her way towards
the rock behind which he was concealed.
Imagine his horror when, upon her nearer
approach, he heard the cries, and distinguish
ed the figure of an infant in her fatal grasp.
In an instant his resolution was formed-tO
fire at the bird at all hazards the moment she
should alight upon her nest, and rather to Kill
lhe child than leave it to he torn in pieces by
the horrid devourer. 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 after
wards this gallant hunter of the Alps had the
rnutterable delight of snatchng the child
from the nest, and bearing it away in triumph.
1t was dreadfully wounded by the eagles tai
o,,s in one gifts arms and sides, but not NOR
tally, and within twenty four hours after it |
was first missed, he had the satisfaction ofre-
storing it to its mothers HdldenSian |
Researches.