Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1865-01-19
LOST.
A Legend of Vermont.
ny JULIA GILL.


Springfield, it is impossible now to say
which, that the log cabin which was
the home of the heroine stood, surround
ed by forest. The Feal names of the
actors in this tragedy of the woods
hsve passed out Of the legend, and
therefore substitute the first names
which come to mind
~ Il&ave finished my spiN4ing, Robert,
and shall carry the yarn home to-day.
| think | will spend the day with Mrs.
} Green, and l wish you would come and
meet me and bring baby home said
the young wife taking the linen yarrC
In her apron and the baby on her arm.
VERY well, replie6the hnsoand, Civ
ing the Growing chif@ kiss as he start
ed off with his hoe over his shoulder for
the wheat field. He was b2eing in
wheat that day, His lot had been buriS
over and S0Ye4 with wheat, vat the
huge stumps of the old trees, the logs
Tying about, and the thick underground
roots in the new land prevented the use
Of tile ploughpO
All day he worked bualy IL the fresh
soil, with the strange wood sounds
about hims eating his lunch at noon,
from his listle basket; until the length,
ening shadows of the forest around his
small clearing betokened the approach
of sunset TSen he started off TO meet
his wife.
A mills or two away in the forest, hia
neighbor, Green, had made his CLEAR
ing" He went on without meeting the
wife and baby, until he reached his
neighbours door.
Why, said Mrs Green, in answer to
his inquiries, didn't Won meet her
She hasn't been gone long, only for
few minutes
\ Gag she have missed the market
trees n asked Robert Harris aghast.
Don't be alarmed neiahbor," Said
Mr., Green, C will go ba3k with y6u."
The two men went together through
tho forest which every moment grew
darker and drearier. Not so dark but
they could see The white cash Gut on
the side Of every prominent tree, which
nsark, along the dense woods was the
only indication Of highway They call
ed Mrs. Harris name loudly at inter
walls, but there came no reply They
kept saying to each other, eve may
fad hey at home" but they were heavy
at heart. The leg house was reached,
bat home it was no longer to Mr. Har-
ris, The mother and baby were not
there. The Cow lowed to bB MIXED,
and the pigs, which ran in the woods
arpl cams home az night, Clamored for
their usual feeding, but the men took
no notice Of them. Back again through
the woods, with o lantern, calling and
hallOOing. Al in vain. Then they
went on to the next clearing, and the
rnXt. " A women is lost" What tele-
gram in these exciting days of battle
ever fell more thrillingly on human
nerves tAan these words going from
mouth to mouth among the home nests
OF the nor~ country. 5 Wi+L i,,e,, 9s....9-
cles and determined wills the warm
hearted settlers started out. I'VE will
scour the woods, we will find them
never fear" According TO a custom
they had at such times, they blew din
ner horns, built fires, and shouted Wntl
they were hGarse No tidings of the
lost ones that night. All the next day
they searched, and day altar day as
long as possible. Fires were left smoul-
dering among the trees, men who knew
the woods kept resOutely to the search,
but the buddi@g April forest held it's
aaCret. q
WhHl Mrs. Harris started with her
baby in her WINS from Mrs. Green's ex-
pecting nomentamly to mge3 her hus-
band she went on careessly, her etten-
tiQn being directed in part to the Child,
until'suddenly looking up, she discov-
eros no white scars Of the ak on any tree
in sight. But she fanoied she had only
stepped out Of the TRACK and might in
moment regain it. A vain fancy Moth
ing familiar met her eyes The night
camaOn. The little birds went to cest,
tie owls laughed dolefully, She was
alone with her infant in the great sea of
forest where never a woOdman's ak had
echoed She was lost. She, sat Gown
faint and tire0 and, wOman-Iika haoan
to&ry. Hank That wa, certainly hn.
man shou& Sh" rose, and 4olding her
sleeping ctnlId firmly ran, as fast as the
undHf9p0Nth and fallen tr&es across her
path would permit her. towards the
welcome y0Ge. She shouted back. but
1er small voice woulf never II heard;
She only walked the little child and must
now stop ard hush it. Then she started
on again. Hark the sound of a horn.
but in cntirG5y another direction, Turn
ing her course she ran GREATNESS to-
wards it. AnG now she thought she
heard it again, further Off Many hours
of the night were epent in rushing, with
hysteric sobs and palpitatmg heart, to-
ward the voices of her friends. Sc nea,
that she could hear them, but so far
away that no effort OF frenzied strength
could enable her to reach their protect
eng presence. What right it was
I0wards morning she slept, leaning
against q tree with the baby on her bo-
som. But she started neiEously in her
dreams and at the first bird-song woke
to full consciousness. With the day.
break came 2 renewal of her courage.
She would not weakly give up to die.
Her friends would certainly find her to-
day, or she would find them. She saw
near her some of the last years berries
and tough leaves Of the wintergreen.
And here were acorns.0 A poor break
fast, but she ate whatever she could
find, for the sake of the child more than
for her own. This day also she ran
wildly through the tangle of deak brakes