The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1857-09-11

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began to fall in torrents, as if the foun
tains OF heaven itself were opened
Wasn't it just like what she had read o.
the day OF Judgement! Her limbs re,
fused to support her, and she sank to her
knees dragging Maggie with hsr- Yet
she made last effort to cheer her sis
| ter.
Don't, don't cry so,' was all she could
say, clasping Maggie, and sobbing as she
spoke. Then her little remaining fOrti-
tude gave way, and they both wept to-
gcthcr, clasping each other convulsivcly
CHAPTER IL.
Meantime, Mrs. Carr, after bustling
through her work, like a thrifty house
wife rs she was, had seated herself in a
low, crcaking rocking chair, with her
basket of mending before her. Occupied
thus, she had not observed the gather
ing storm, till distant roll of thun der
startled her.
Dear me-, she said, starting quickly to
her feet, them children will get wet
through
She hurried to The door ms she spoke.
and began to look down the village street,
in the direction Lucy and Maggie had
taken. But she couldsce nothing them.
Over the ncighboring mountains, how
ever, hung thick, black clouds, the sure
precursors, in this region, of violent
storm.
Directly she saw a couple of ncighbors
coming in from the fields that lay between
the village and the foot OF the mountain.
Throwing her apron over her head, she
ran out and u skcd il they had seen her
children.
The answer was in the negative. As
yet, however, her anxiety was only suili-
cicnt TO excite irritability. :
Lucy ought to have known BETTER she
said, sharply. Its time she was home
long ago. I'll make her remember an
other time, reckon
One OF the men looked uncasily at the
sky moment, and then passed on, sllak-
ing his mead. When out of hearing, he
said TO his companion, I've heard tell Of
children being lost in that forest. Twcn-
" years ago, when the settlement was
new, they say boy starved to death
there. | wonder if Mrs. Carr would scold
Acr little gal in this way, if she knew it
might happen tonight to her own chill
dren.
1t was only passing reflection, and
had escaped his mind altogether, when,
two hours after, as he was preparing TO go
to bed, iatiguei with hard days labor,
there came knock at the door. The
visitor was his fellow workman.
ITS true what YOU said about those
Children were the words of the intruder.
they haven't come home yet, and their
mother is taking OH like one mad. She
says they'll die before morning, even If
the panthcrs don't find them. And it's
likely enough on such night
His host had been too much stunned
by the intelligence, to speak. But his
wife now pushed forward, her eyes wide
open with horror.
What's that YOU sayF she cried.-
Whose children are lost!
Mrs. Cars
Not in the forcStf
The visitor nodded.
The wife gave n quick scream, and
glanced invountarily at her own little
ones whom she had been preparing for
bed.
Poor Mrs. Carr. Poor, sweet little
dcars" she cried, running to cupboard
for her shawl and bonnet. 'llcrc, Peggy
she continued, turning to her eldest child,
a girl oftwelvc, you must put your broth
crs and sisters to bed ;hc best way YOU
can. john she added, addressing her
husband, you're going, of course. Only
to think, little Maggie, born the same day
with our Jane, on the mountains in n
night like this
Her woman's heart was alive with SYM
pathy. Nor was her husband backward
in responding to it. 1t is indeed bearl-
tfnl trait of human nature, that any incl
dent like this appeals right to the heart,
even with the most unlettcred for every
parent imagincs what his or her feelings
would bc. 1.-THE lost one were their OWE.
Twas for John | camc,' said their Wis
itor, us they lei, the house. The whole
place has turned ont, that is the men, and
are going to search the forest. But they
will want all the women that can be
spared, up at Mrs. Cars, for she has got
the stcrrcks powerful bad. she says sh,
was ont of humor because Maggie plagued
her 10 30, and told 'cm she never wanted
to see 'cm again; and now she says it
a Judgement on her.
When they reached the house, they
found most OF the ncighbors already col
lectcd, the men talking about the door
way aud planning their mode OF search
while the women crowded the sitting
room inside, from which came the shriek'
of the conscience-stricken mother.
Mrs. Brown paused only long enough
TO learn that, almost an hour before, II
the heigh, of the storm, MIR. Carr ha'
come home. Up to that time the moth
er had ila,tered herself that the childrel
had stopped at his shop, for he was
whcclwright, and worked at the end o
the village. But from that moment slit
had been almost frantic. The nelghbon
on hearing that the children were los'
had volunteered 10 90 ont in search G
them, but it took some time to collec
them, aud the Browns were the last sum
moncd, for they lived at the opposite en-
of the town.
Entering the house, Mrs. Brown say
two female acquaintances trying to no!
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