Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-08-21
THE THUNDER STORM.
NOt ! " " Z ~
III

The plan for search was soon ARRANGED. II
was known that the children had entered the
wood by the highway that ran through it In
order, therefore, to have a fair prospect Of sue
cess, II was necessary to extend the line of men
rs far as possible on each side Of this road, and
so advance up the mountain. If this failed
there was no hope.
The rain had changed, as we have said. from
succession-of heavy showers. to a light but
continued drizZle. Torches of pine knots were
provided in addition to lanterns At the head
OF one detachment, Mr. Carr placed himself
10 the other John Brown was assigned.
Had there been any trace by which to follow
the children, the search would have appeared
less difficult. But the darkness would have
precluded the exercise of the ordinary wood
sssft, even if the torrents of water had not OBJ
Hferated the usual signs. 1t was with but
tstnk expectations Of success cOnseuuently
thaeths expedition set forth
uFor more than two hours the search went on
steA1ily advancing up the mountain side, they
scrurnised everyfOot of the ground they passed.
but Without success. The waving of their
torehes through the woods startling the birds
eeNinually, and now and then frightened
owl blindly stumbling by, more than once by
the noise thus occasiOned raised false hopes in
those portions of the expedition furthest from
the scene Of commotion. But all such delusiye
expectations soon faded.
Long since, the parts Of the wood more IA
miliarly known had been passed, and now il
was the original forest that had been trayersed
Inc way grew wilder, and hope, which had
been but faint as the best, abandoned almost
all. lie was felt the search might be pre-
tracted for weeks in this vast and nearly nm
explored region. without discovering the chill
dren; for on such broken ground, il was inn
possible thoroughly to examine every nook, and
the lost "nes might be passed little to the
nsnt or LETT, yet no one perceive them.
Keen a st0ut heart naiuhhors - soid Iobp
brown, =" and have sharp eyes. The children
maShe worn out with cold, and be unable to
01141 themselves heard, though seeing and
4lMBls Hark what was that? q"
ia5tIR pped suddenly, for low peculiar cry
g0on ne night air, seeming to come from the
HPA 8the forest ahead.
All h5fsnea in silence for a moment. when
tsssps@n npeated.
a.. ss.nIteff ranther," said one of the men. Il
t4pas4t fknew what it was, the first time
snAseomnon shudder went through the hear
efHa MI had simultaneously recognized the
seunds and all had thought, what if the lost
.emmren had fallen in its way? Each father
hveiantariiy FASTENED his steps, in order to
mach As soon as possible the spot from which
tbs terrible cry came
More than once that cry was heard again.
6qtltseemed retreating further into the depths
otthe forest. Several times il sounded 50 much
like the voice Of child, that the listeners start
Gthe distance. But the repetition Of the sound
convinced them of their mistake Perhaps
nothing could be conceived more calculated 10
sharpen the pangs of the fathers heart, than
the alternstiOns Of hope and despair He was
sAstrong minded man, and sustained also by
religious principle, yet he could not help giving
way to emotion.
HtiDh if they have already fallen a prey to
this horrible Wild BEAST he cried. :. tiod
SAimghty have mercy. My poor Maggie My
dear, molherly, little Lucyn'
- &0ccssionaily they would reach huge tree
fwhieh, in falling. had crushed n dozen smaller
sepes IN its descent The frequency of these
sxEee Ks suggested new fears What if the lost
,ehaidren, having sought shelter under it, had
Speen involved in the ruin of such one Once,
indeed, the miserable father fancied he saw
peepIng out from beneath a gigantic fallen
trunk, the fragment Of a child's dress He
sprang forward. as he beheld it, with sbarp
cry Of agony. But when he flashed his torch
directly upon it, certain that it would reveal
the distorted limbs of one of his little ones. he
found that piece of white bark, assisted by
the deep shadows, had deceived him.
Midnight arrived at last, and even the stout
est began to be fatigued. The air at that hour
on the exposed mountain, was keen and pene-
trated to the marrow.
"POOr thing said John Brown, as he called
a halt to his detachment, in order to consult
whether to carry the search further in that di-
frectOn or TO spread more to the left and retrace
their steps partially. - In their thin garments
and wet through as they are, they We died, most
likely, long ago Yet he added after a mo-
-ment, as his eye fell on Mr.. Carr approaching
with. haggard, detected mein, show can we
qtell this TO the father Let US work on, neigh
e oors, while he clings to hope Tomorrow his
lot may be ours
The result of the consultation was a determi-
nation to extend their line still farther to the
right and LETT, and return part OF the way down
the mountain, for in this manner they would
sweep ground hitherto unexplOred =
Its most likely" said John Brown. who
had particularly urged this change, that they
could have strayed even as far as this in n di-
rect line, when night set in; and, after that
they'd be apt to sit down some here afraid to
go on, or too tired to do 80. Besides. even if
they do keep afOot, it's most likely they went
around and around, as people lost in the woods
mostly do. Its my opinion that we'll 6nd
them further down the mountain of some eyhere
TO the right or left -
Those views met general approval But the
utmost nope which they inspired was that the
dead bodies OF the innocent sufferers might be
IecSVered- Even the father appeared now to
Look for nothing more favorable than tbis'
you've done all that can be done. - he said
IN reply 10 question whether he was satisfied
tnat the search had bcen carried sufficiently
mgh up the mountain; " 9od bless You for il. =
Nc a1oed In trembling voice, :" shall never
= - De able to repay you for your kindness But
~ ever you also lose two darlipgs, you II know
how a fathers heart longs to find even their
bodies, II it's only" and here his voice broke
into sobs, II it's only 10 be sure that the wild
beasts hav'n deyoured them.
de covered his face, for moment, with one
OF has brawny hands as he spoke. Then with
out looking back, strobe away in the direction 0
which had been agreed upon The rest mutely '
followed =. = :
The rain had now ceased entirely But the
woods were as wet as ever, the dar knees was al
most as great, the cold keen and penetrating
bacn man as be moved along in line, kept 4
Wsten on his neighbor's torch, to see that he
ala not wander from the true direction all the
while scrutiniIing every bit OF brush, each
shadow under the trees and any inequality in
tns gF0snd that might escape a hasty observa 4
u9n; NOW and then one or another halted q
while, where the forest was particularly thick
TO be sure of not overlooking some hidden covert
OCCASIONALLY, also, shout would be raised and
waiting afterwards in silence to hear if tber