New Oregon plaindealer. (New Oregon, Iowa) 1859-1866, 1860-11-16

the light OF hope, seemed to have gone
out-his health was poor, his face pale,
his frame fragile, and no fire beamed in
his dark grey eyes. thought every
night saw him march to his gloomy
bed, that I would g. to lin and learn
his history, but with so many duties to
perform, so much to learn and do, that
day after day passed, and I would neg
]ect him-having merely learned that
his name was Arthur Lamb, and that
his crime was burglary and larceny, in
dicating a very bad boy, for one so young
He had already been there a year, and
had two more to serve. He never could
outliye the sentence inflicted. He felt
lit. Ho worked at stone-cutting on the
State House, hence my opportunities
for seeing him, were less than though
he had worked in the prison yard, still
his pale face haunted me day and night
and I resolved on the next Sabbath, as
he came from Sabbath School, Iwould
send for him, and learn his history. It
happened, however, that was one day
in a store waiting the transaction of
some business, and having picked up an
oil newspaper, I had read and rc-read
while delayed, until at last my eyes fell
upon an advertisement Of "A Lost Boy.
information wanted Of a boy named Ar
thur -" Il will not give his right
name for perhaps he is still living, and
then followed description of the boy
exactly corresponding to that Of the
young convict, Arthur Lamb.
Then there was somebody cared for
the poor boy, if indeed it was him; per-
haps a mother, his father, his brothers,
and sisters, who were searching for him.
The advertisement was year old-yet
I doubted not, and as soon as the con-
victs were locked up, I sent for Arthur
Lamb. He came as q matter of course,
with the same accomplishing face, and
hopeless gait, thinking no doubt, that
something had gone wrong, and had
been laid to his charge.
l was examining the Conyicts Regis
ter, when I looked up, and there he
stood, the perfect image Of despair l
asked his name. He rcplied:
"Arthur."
"Arthur what?" said 1, sternly.,
"Arthur - Lamb" said he, hest
tatingly.
"Harc you father or mother liv-
ing? I asked.
His eyes frightened, his voice quiv-
cred, as he exclaimed
"Oh, have you heard from mother?
Is she alive? %
And then tears which I had never
seen him shed before, ran like great
rain drops down his cheeks.
AS he became calm from suspense, /
told him had not heard from his pa
rents, but that I had paper l wished
him to read. He took the advertise
ment which I had cut from the paper,
and a. he read he exclaimed
''That is me That is me -
And again tears and sobs chokel his
utterance.
Ias,ured him the advertisement was
all could tell him about his parents
and that, as it requested information. |
desired to know what I should write in
reply.-The advertisement directed in
formation to be sent to the Christian
Advocate. New York.
"Oh do not write," said he, cit will
break poor mothers heart !"
told him that / must write-and
that it would be lighter blow to his
mothers feelings to know where he was,
than the terrible uncertainty which
must haunt her day and night. So he
consented-and taking him to my room:
drew from him in substance, the fol-
lowing story:
His fatker was respectable and
, wealthy mechanic in an interior town in
J the State of New York. That at the
T holding Of the State Agricultural Fair
= In his native town, he got acquainted