National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1867-05-17

until | came back | was abo to
Join the men at the door, who were
deliberating upon the best plan Of
proceeding. when my wife arose from
her seat, and laying hold ofmy arm,
said
John, the Lori can save our child
rem
arrangements were now made
for commencing the search. We
were to go north two and t"o, each
party having gun, and If either
party should be successful IN finding
the children alive, the fact should
be announced by the frin. Of six
guns. and, if dead, three guns.
'Perhaps had better give YOU
some idea of the geography Of the
woods. My house was situated
about mile from the fJoc Of the
mountain TO the north 4; along the
base of the mountain runs "A cOnsid-
cradle stream, holding a course FROM
west to east From the south bank
OF the stream, rock rose on rock, up
to he very summit OF the mountain; !;
so steep and rugged, that deer
could hardly get a tOot-hold. With
the exception of two or three small
fields, all the distance from lhe
house to the brook was covered
with heavy timber. l. NaS while
hunting up the COWS, about the
ciearlngS, that the children got lost,
and 1t was reasonable to suppose
that they could neither cross the
stream. or climb the mountain. be
ln9 only eight and SIX years OF age.
We therefore determined 10 cOnhne
our search between the house and
the north bank of the brook, cX-
tending few miles east aud west.
Doctor p, who was my com
pdnIon III the search. saiC. all he
could to cheer me. but that was a
dreadful day | could not take
time to walk, but ran from one
thickct TO another, calling out with
all my strength, 'Nelly, Nelly
Jamie Jamicr But 10 Nelly. no
Jamie answered. No GUN was fired
during the day and night, IA very
darl, night, began, to set in.
| determined to cOutinue the search,
but the Doctor persuaded me to re
turn home, saying. we should have
more help by morning, and would
90 IN larger parties
we accordingly returned found
the others had GOT in before us, but
no traces of the lost ones had been
discovered. Fires We're now ki"dled
upon all the knobs round about the
house. ana a little after nine about
twenty men joined us. The news
had gone ont through the nei@h Dor
ing tuNns AID they all turHeu ont,
every man with his bag OF proNi-
SionS and his gun, determined, they
said, t ind them, dead or alive.
In the course OF the night, about
thirty more arrived, SO that hN
morning we mustered between fifty
and sixty men. Ny hopes OF find
mg them alive We're getting very
feeble. vet | spent the night pray,
ing: 'Oh, Lord, save my poor
children. The sut1eiingS of my
poor wife during that long, long,
dark night, were awful, and may
not be described. She sat in tie
door watching for the first daWuing
of day. and when she saw the light,
She leaped tur joy, rs ii tie day
would bring back her lost infants.
NAh! It has been a long m2At,
the longest and darkest that cvtr
saw. Poor little NelIy-poor little
Jamie. where have you been all
night Why don't Nou come to
your mother, who has watched all
the night long for Your coming
Il thought my cup OF atllictlon
WAS entirely full, bat lnow saw that
more might be added. was afraid
myNvite was about to lose her lrd>on.
On being pressed TO 90 and take a
little rest, She gaz1d on me Tor 4
moment, replied
Yes, John, will rest. / will
uN to give them up INTO the hands
OF God
i felt relieved she promised TO
90 To bed, we all prepared to renew
the search. As we were about to
start. the Squire made his appear.
ancc. and on his ltlck Il Smal GcS OF
whiskey he said he had been nom
the iouSc until late last night OF he
should nave come sooner to our as.
siStancc. He then dcw some OF
the spirit, and offered it TO me.
No said /: Squire. have drank
my last glass. and it has been paid
for with the lite OF my two lovely
ehi dren.'
w hat eSo YOU mean said the
Squire i don't understand YOU
Wen, SAID /, If had not tar
ried SIX hours at your grIudStone, ~
| went out to mill, / should hay,
got home the same day, and my
children would have all been her,
this morning. Yes sir, have pai,
Il fearful price Tor my last glass
either YOU or are their mur'lcreF-
Il was sorry | said quite 50 mucl
to the Squire, but felt all that
said.
Some of the men took a little q
the spirit, and oar plan of operation
being settled, we divided INTO tw
lines, extending from the fields t
the brook, one line moving west
the other east, every man Keeping
, within u few reds of his right han'
man, and IN this order the Who'll
, line moved forward, making cnrcil