The Elk advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Elk Co., Pa.) 186?-1868, 1867-01-03

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The mist was thickenipg into rain.
[ knew well enough that he was too
careful of her to expose IN such man
ner; yet clung to the belief that he
had stolen her as l clurg to my life.
There were fresh footprints in the black
mud about the door leading out toward
the wood lot, whore Ned and the men
we're at work. 1 followed them. NV
head uncovered, unmindfu of the chill
wind and driving rain plungina ankle
deep into the yielding soil at every step.
About half way seen something in the
path before me. 1t was little crimson
stocking! My heart leaped for Joy.
Ned had stolen her, and she had kicked
it from her foot on the way it was
cruel in him to frighten me so. won.
dered he had heard tina. silly wish of
mine!
Halt mile from the house | met
him and the men coming home to dinner.
He started forward the moment he
caught sight of me.
"Oh, Bell! what's the matter? Is
Little Pearl sick ?"
One glance at his white, star,,,l face,
convinced me that my hope va ain
yet ] cried out angrily, you. Ut the
child, Ned, you know you have don't
torture me any longer"
Bell, what do you mean =
She's gone--Little Pear You
stole her Ned to frighten me
mo, on my soul, Bell
"Then she's gone; Coo ..pated
me my wish, Oh my baby .oy ba.
by"
was rushing past him, tut nv caught
and held me fast, commnr.'a. me to
tell him all-ana l did. IND aben his
after words thrilled my sopl with horror.
The Indians! the Indiaus, boys!"
he cried, "they passed Us, you know
They must have stolen her. Come :"
They followed him without a word
and so did |. Over the spongy prairie
mud, the chill wind and driving rain
beating in our faces, through dense,
dripping woods, down to the shore of
the nver. But we were too late. The
last canoe was moored on the opposite
shore. God had granted me my wish.
l had no baby!
Little Pearl could not be found, al.
though our efforts were ceascless. Her
crib remained in its corner with the
impress Of her head on its pillow; but
the little, laughing face, that had look
ed at us from the depths of the cover
lids, was gone forever l had ample
time to perform all my household labor
then. No little quivering cry t. detain
me when Twas busy; no cling ug hands
holding mine, and keeping them idle.
MY, wish was granted me; had no ba.
by!
The desolate, inconsolable sorrow of
the days that followed, no tongue can
portray the tender longing. he sharp,
singing romorse. But We lived and
worked, for life and labor must 90 on,
no matter how sore and weary our hearts
may be. AT the end OF five years. Ned
looked around him on the ripe fruiton
OF his most sanguine hopes. He had
built him up rot onl y home, but
name, IN this new country We had
pleasant rooms, and luxurious furniture,
and birds, and flowers, and all the attri.
butes that go to make a happy home.
All did | say ? Not alive were child.
less. Little Pearl had never come back,
and God had given us no Other child to
fill her place; but we desired no other,
our grief for her loss being dearer and
sacred than any new love could have
been.
Poor Ned, that unforgotten sorrow to-
gether with the arduous duties, made
him an old man before bis time the
silver threads were thick on his tenn
pies, and the furrows on his forehead
cut ! when we went back on a visit to
our old home, the friends OF his youth
did not recognize him. His life had
lost Its impellin ng aim and motive.
One night, in the great city, we we're
retRrning from the opera, when voice
startled us.
Please, sir" it said, "a penny for
loaf"
1t was mid winter; the psyements
were glazed with ice and the c,natess
stars overhead glittered in the coli, blue
sky like so many points of steel was
dreaming OF my home in the Ia s, est,
and longing for the hour of nv return
to come. A strange feeling ol cander-
ness bound us to the spot whe-, lost
, our Little Pearl. l could n aa.5 :, be
away from it, because of a forj.s. TAR
that she might come back, ann not
there to welcome her.
: The slender, pleading voice broke in
upon my rsverie; and, glaucirg our AT
} the carriage window | saw asmaii child
) ish figure, and a tiny hand, blue and
, stiff with cold.
"Stop the carriage, Ned I shan.
! close my eyes to night if we pass that
, child"