Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1852-09-01
From the New orlea MS Delta.
The Lost Child.

- We frs. heard the drum in Mysterious
| street. What il meant. we did not ascertain.
Perhaps some military company parading
its new uniform in the sun. tits a sound
common enough in New Orleans, however.
In,H Historvstreei we hear the drum again,
several daysafter.sa as%a ssss ,FsS4sssss7
A plainly clad old man, who wore shah.
by white hat, and had pair of cracked
spectacles astride Of his nose, was beating
it. He would beat the brief roll, then three
orlfour quick taps, and cry III easgs.33
"Lost child! Lost child!",
Men were generally away, in ahei.oG-
ces, or upon the levee, attending 10 business.
But women, their toddling offsprings, and
servants, would appear at the windows Of
the houses, or come 10, The doors, or step
out on the verandas.z A few would linger
awhile, listening 10 what the old man might
say, not asking any questions. The rest,
little interested, would soon retire or disnp-
pear. Their children were at home, or Of
school, well and beautiful -..sS = 8 :
Lost childp cried the old man, tapping
his drum with one hand and adjusting his
spectacles with. the other, as he turned the
corner. "a very pretty boy. Eleven years
old. Deaf and dumb. Sharp, bright black
eyes; and spells. with his fingers. Italian.
Wandered away from 6 Good Children street,
two weeks since Mother poor, lone wild
ov. sssAns old child, and lost /! Lost child !!
Lost, child !'''.< e. g.s1 s'as ..sS's ':s-s's.i
No dead march ever sounded sadder in
our ears. But drays, omnibusses, cars and
carriages rushing along the thoroughfare,
drowned the notes Of the drum and the old
mans voice. s s5t.'s.,ss sts - ..'sS
In Love street, still several days after,
once mere we, encountered the old man
Same roII, and tap, and cry, Another man
passed by who seemed TO know The drums
mer.. The other looked surprised, and was
smiling rnther sascastically.. Asswe loit>
cred, we gathered more Of The story than
we had YET learned, Cd tfssssl.,!. ...9s.s
"She's neighbor of mine, and has no
acquaintanee She hos just reached the
United States.se The husband died at sea.
They have seen better times; but he was
Republican. l. believe, and the French
plundered himin Rome. He had TO fly for
bis life. but died at seq. liked the child.
He was .excelIsn. in .pantomine; besides he
could spall With his fingers, and Icould un-
derstand him, especially his gestures. Then
his sharp, bright, black eye. fairly talked
of themselves He was often ia my fruit
store, and / was teaching him English by
giving, him things, after he spelled .lhem on
his fngers. IA 81 s ssissaas<s ktsssseEf1 81 j.
i II can't say " hichewas hisdavoriie, oran-
ha ard Of f1rr,
oil Italian ifrui,s.e His fingers skipped, from
letter to .lelier aphenshe, spelled them. sas if
he WINS playing upon a piana. OH he was
amusing to- me. dear lost Giuseppe Lioni
So he was called. sssM ore than two weeks
since, he wandered awayafremt GOOD Chill
dren streeEa:4Isam TOO INDECENT 10 employ
af,yfone to search for him. g My wife, hay
ing no child Of her, awn, had taken as live.
ly fancy for Guisephe as J. urged me to
go. Gle will know, you;n said my wife,
"a sensible female. She Keeps shop in my
absence. You havnt heard Of d stray boy
anywhere, haveyou 4''a ~ e - l.s ..Ss
The. other man, who had ceased TO smile
sarcaslicully, shook his head. No. Then
he shook the old mans hand, and walked
slowly down the street. - -. -.
et ALI this time aswennans was. Standing not
far of, almost piercing the two men with
herdark eyes She was dressed in mourn>
ing.s sThe sable veil she wore was thrown
aside from her face as she gazed upon the
speakers, and we imagined for an instant,
from her expression tha: she was angry
She was distressed. The old man noticing