The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1859-05-11
The Lost Boy.

through the village that a boy that had
gone out with party Of girls and boys
the day before, had not returned with
them, and was supposed to be lost,
1t was Sunday morning and the news was
first whispered throughout the Sunday
School. We forgot lessons and we're all
excitement; for the missing boy was one
of our scholars. All at once the great
bill began to toll out as for fire three
quick, sharp strokes, repeated continued
as rapidly as possible Every boy seized
his hat and sprang for the doors. In a
few minutes the whole town was in the
streets. The bell continued its wild clam
or and every pulse throbbed ns wildly in
strange sympathy.
There in no fre-but boy is lost in
the woods Turn out-turn out !" was the
reply that answered every inquiry.
The mother of the lost boy, who was
about nine years old, was the first person
l saw on getting into the street. wiring
ing her hands; and followed by the rest
of her little ones, crying terribly. She
was widow, and all the men sympathi-
zed with her. The bell continued to ring
out its alarm, and an energetic man in a
loud voice called the citizens to form in
rank before the church. In few min
utes three hundred men and grown up
lads were in line. He then divided them
into sections and ordered them to 90 by
different roads into the woods (Which al
most surrounded the town and meet at
a given point. The procession marched
at quick step and in silence to the skirts
of the village, all well-dressed men, for
they had their Sunday clothes on and
there they separated to scour the woods.
In a little while they had disappeared,
each en- his DESIGNATED search, many of
the men armed with guns, which they
were to fire off when the boy (now lost
since Saturday at four o'clock SHOULD be
found. a vast number of volunteer boys
would also have gone into the dark wilder
ness, but for the peromptory order of the
leading captain IA tall dark many that
they should stay back lest they also SHOULD
get lost.
The search continued all day Sunday.
there was no preaching qnd no church,
going. People walked the street restless,
listening for the Guns; and the old minis
ter spent most OF the day with the widow,
doine his best TO console her.-At one
o'clock all the parties met at the school,
house, and 10 one had met with success.
They adjourned one hour to dinner and
started again. Every acre for two leagues
of dense wood was travcrsed and night
came on; but with the darkness they
lighted pine torches and still continued
the search and many was the brave man
who vowed he would neither eat or sleep
more till the boy was returned to his
mother, or his dead body was found for
decent burial.
Nor in the village did an eye sleep, or
was food thought of. Every father was
in the woods and no supper table was
set The villagers were all gathered on
Powdcr-Uouse Hill that overlooked the
vast wood, They could see the far-otf
gleam of torches, and once in a while the
shout of q searchcr came to THEN ears!
At length, about eleven o'clock at night
a gun was fred fAr in the depths of the
forest! 1t was followed by loud shout
nearer, and then another shout, then a
dozen guns were discharged, and in mo.
ment the whole forest was roaring with
the cheers Of three hundred men, and re-
yorberating with the joyful discharges Of
musketry. From Powder House Hill the
villagers answered them back, and but
one voice was beard filling the air, I" IIc
is found-ho is found Tell the mother
he is found !"
But the word had already reached her
ear, borne along the village streets from
one to another! In ten minutes, led by
the winged mother, the whole population
were hastcning 10 meet the party of men
They bcheld by lie light OF hundred
torches the recovered boy borne in the All
on branch by four men, while the fifth
waved the American flag over his head
lie was placed, pale and yet smiling, OIL
his mothers bosom, when, with shriel
of ioy she tainted. But she was soon re
covered, and the whole procession two by
two, marched by torch light into town