, 1864-02-06


"quick-soft, me lay him on the tnosses
and Hy."
"Go fetch him-bring me my child r
ana Elinor, with wild, beseeching looks,
half raised herself from the ground with
an gffbtt, and there watched, curbing the
fearful tecollectiOns that were swelling in
her bbsoth, till she should prove whether
they were phantoms or realities.
LaUla at her command had hastened away.
Several minutes elapsed, when she reap
peared with empty arms, and eyes staring
with hH expression heser seen in them be-
fore. =.
"Where IL the babe? Whs hate you
not brought him 7" Elinor demanded.
"Him not found" 1t was all Laola
could utter.
Mrs. Benning sprung to her feet, echoihg
the girls words In wild scream that rang
the forest rouhd. SEEKING Laola by both
her arms, and putting her face close to
hers, while the FIRES Of insanity shot froih
her eyes, she hissed:
"Tell me-tell me the truth. A moth
er's curse be on yoti; else"
Briefly and brokehl5 Laola replied BY
repeating what she had already said, adding
that ms she searched afutind the spot where
she had lain the child in order to rescue the
mother, and from which be had 40 inctedi-
bly, disappeared, she heard o cracking Of
underbrush, and caught glimpse of some
black beast disappearing in the forest, and
horrible to relate lin his mouth he bore
away something which might have been
the missing infant wrapped in its blanket.
l Poor Elinor's agony can only be imagined.
She tore out masses Of her wet hair, fling
ing it into the stream but suddenly turn
ing again to her informant, she exclaimed: :
"Liar! False child of false race, you
shall not deceive me. I remember-I re-
member now you cast my innocent babe
into the river. l saw him sink. You
have murdered him. o, God, why was l
not permitted to perish With hitnf Never
NEVER shall I bee my darling ihore, o
girl, worse than fend that you are!"
From this maddened accusation, Laola
turned away unanswering. Slowly she
sank upon her knees she bowed her face
until it pressed the yielding moss, and some
thing like moan half rose in air, half bu-
RED itself in the wilderness soil. Then she
stood up, taking the hands Of Elinor, which
now were outstretched to her with the be-
seeching hclplessness Of little child.
"Me lead White Daisy home"
"Let me first see the spot where Eddie
last lay" The bereayed mother was calm,
now-too calm her stony eyes moved not
in their sockets, her rounded cheek seemed
fallen and haggard.
haola, subdued and gentle, led her friend
up the margin of the stream to the moss
covered knoll where she said she had lain
the infant No little sleeping face appear
ed no baby arms Auttered like wings in
the endeayOr to rise and fold themselves on
mothers fond breast. The tender yellow
moss, however, was seen to have been lately
pressed, and on one side the slight mound
was broken and torn as if by the rugged
paws Of some powerful beast. Beyond, a
mAss q low clustering vines was tnnnclled
and rent, doubtless marking the pass by
which the greedy dcvOurer had borne away
his prey. .-.
Terrible signs indeed were these to the
poor mother She tore her flesh among the
tangled shrubs in frantic efforts to force her
way through and follow the trail, till at
length her companion, after many attempts,
persuaded her to quit the fatal scene. Then,
cold and white, ike moving statue, she
returned, she knew not how, through the
forest. ...
The opening-the cabin-came in view
and there by the open window, just where
she in her unsuspecting content had watched
and tended her lambkin only few hours
before, sat her husband, as little aware of
the calamity which had darkened their
home. One arm lay over the sill, and,
weary and heated with his walk, with the
other he famed himself comfortably with
his broad-rimmed straw hat.
The sight-the thought Of the distress
he must SO soon suffer, aggravated, perhaps,
by the conviction that prudence on her
part might have ayerted the evil, were too
much for the distracted wife. She shrieked
his name and that Of the lost one, wringing
her hands in widest agony, while Laola,
with all her strength, could barely support
her totterihg form.
Her husband was by her side in an in
slant his arms were around her, while,
glancing from her frenSied face to her wet
and clinging garments, in exclamations and
hurried inquiries he sought an explanation.
40 my husband, our dear little Eddie is
drowned-he is gonc-a wild beast has car
ried him ofF-we shall never see him more
have murdered-have murdered my
child ~
Matthew took her hands and tried to un.
fold the clenched fingers. The fearful
thought flashed through his mind that his
wife was seized with sudden insanity, and
had made on attempt at sclf.destruction.
dearest Elinor," he said, with extreme
tenderness, "be comforted. There is no
causeof distress. assure you our precious
boy lies asleep in his cradle--safe. You
shall see for yourself in q moment. But,
my love, where have you been!"
She did not reply; she seemed not to
hear his question; an instant she gazed
breathlessly in her husbands face, then
breaking from his clasp, ran with the speed
Of deer towards the cottage. When Mat
thew, who found it impossible to keep pace
with her, arrived, she was lying across the
infants cradle, where she had flung herself,
weeping quiet, joyful tears over the miracle
of har Lost ono fnund There he alumharad