Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1861-02-21
storY of a stated child.

Late last autumn, farmer living near
the Adirondacks, in New York State,
went out on the mountains to cut timber,
in a remote and solitary locality. He
took his son along with him, little boy
about four years of age. After having
been employed short time, he missed
the child, who had been amusing himself
chasing a kid which he found on the hill,
and he became alarmed lest he should have
fallen into one of the many rayines, or
stumbled over some of the rocks or preci-
pices with which the place abounds. No
trace of the boy, however, could be found.
In vain did he call on bis name for no an
swer was returned. The anxiety of the
father led him from place to place with the
utmost rapidity, sometimes finding the
print of his sons little feet in the leaves,
but be never dreamed of crossing deep
gorge which runs on the south side of the
locality alluded to down the steep and
rocky side of the mountain to the margin
Of the Hudson. Over this gorge he con-
ceived it impossible for child to make its
way. In the evening he found means to
send to the settlement on account of the
circumstances, and several humane persons,
accompanied by the distracted mother,
came to aid his search for the poor child in
this wild and rocky region. One of them
happened to cross the gorge alluded to,
perceived there the impression of the boys
footsteps, and these were occasionally trac-
ed all the way down 10 the margin of the
Hudson, where they had lost all trace of
the little wanderer, and were filled with
the most painful apprehensions that he
must have been carried off by the stream.
Going along its banks, and crossing ra-
vines and sleeps, which they conceived it
almost impossible the child could have
passed and climbed, they again found the
print of bis naked feet on the soft sand of
small rivulet; and by applying measure
which they had taken of the former i'm
pressions, they found it exactly to cores
pond. They were therefore induced to 90
forward, though they had now proceeded
upwards of four miles from their starting
point; and they continued for the space Of
about another mile, accompanied by the
anxious father and mother, without finding
any further traces Of the boy.
Night was now coming down on the
forest; and as the search had been contin-
ued eleven hours, over rugged space of
five miles, they thought of retracing their
steps in despair-the distracted mother
tearing her hair, and starting at every
white stone, and figuring to herself the
spectre of the torn corpse of her son at
the bottom of every cliff or stream which
they passed. At this time one of the par
ty, who was before the others, on looking
into the stream of the Hudson, found a
handkerchief round stone in the chan
mel of the river, which he recognized to be
that of the child's, and had now little doubt
that be would be found drowned near this
place in the stream. He called the rest
of the party to approach; when little
further down the bank be perceived the
boy with bis feet in the water, and his head
resting on a stone in quiet sleep. "John-
ny! Johnny cried the trembling father,
"are you still alive?" The little pilgrim,
lifting his head from his rocky pillow, ex-
claimed, 'Oh! father, is it you9 Why
did you not come and help me to catch the
little kid?" The little fellows cap was fill
ed with pebbles, with which he had pursued
the kid from rock to rock, from hill to hill,
and through the ravines for upwards of FIVE
miles, barefooted, over one of the most rug
ged tracks in the State, and had been for
twelve hours without tasteing morsel of
food. The sudden joy of the mother near
ly cost her her life, but the young wander
er was found not 10 have suffered injury
from his long peregriuation.