The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1868-05-13
a. Brand from the Burning. I

ABramd from the Burning. y
ssThat boy" said the Warden, s'hass a cu
upon. He was found on the outside of d cir
Gus tent, one nightscryingl bitterly. He could
not have been more than three years old, in
fact he could hardly speak plain! Nobody
seemed to own him, although he was well
dressed, and his skin and hair gave token
| that he had never been neglected. He. was
advertised; and every means taken to find his
parents or his friends 9ail aoii1sisga !
sItWasthosght the child had either climb
ed to, Or been placed. for some purpose, in
one Of the wagons, AND had thus travelled co.
SO, or even 100 miles. s1sa' 81 :fsiasi s.dr
t'Finahy he was sent to the poorlhousc in
the town where he was irst found, and there
he stayed till he was ten years old, sgsis5
'Then he was bound out to hard man and
made TO work like a dog / pity the poor
boy, because believe lie was driven to what
he did by crime and starvation"@
These words were addressed to young man
who was visiting the prisons of popuous
city during his college vacation. The subject
Of them sat in his cell, the one ray Of light
that penetrated there showing a youthful,
hardened face, from which the dark hair was
brushed away ~
"Was there no clue to his home or parent
age 7" asked the young man, anxiously
"Only the initials, L. G. NJ that were
found marked il silk On some Of his under
cothes"
The young man cast long searching glance
Of pity on the boy, but continued to turn his
face away.
At the table, that day, the young man
told the story of the boy he had seen. ssIf
Charley hadn't been drowned" hs ooatin-
ued- As3.
GLOW do you know he was drowned 7" in.
terrupted Mrs Munsen, her face growing
pale.
eve were never quite sure" her husband
said, with look of interest. "How old is
this lad z, e =
About hfteen.D
The parents looked anxiously at each other
Besides, my brothers name was Charles !;
they called this boy Len, or somesuch name J;
but took down the initials, which have been
kept; here they we're J" consulting card,
81. G. NJ" S s15gF d1B I'd .oia
Mrs, Munsen sank back in her. seat half
fainting. Her husband Eat leaning forward,
listening iutently to his sons description.
S'The matter is becoming serious" at last
be said cit is very curious, but the name
of our lost boy was Leonardo. After we had
named him Leonored, for my father, his uncle
insisted that he should be called Charles, 50
We just put that for a middle name, but we
always called him Charley gTaes@M
There was a strange scene in the prison
that afternoon. TIE Warden took the boy
out into his own room The poor lad gazed
in wonder at the group before nina young
man, three years his senior, woman, pale,
trembling and eager, an elderly man, thought
full, yet anxious They all scanned his feat
ures curiously .6. s-,5.
9Haye you ever seen them before = asked
the Warden. The boy looked earnestly in
the woman's gentle face. Somewhere" he
said, pointing avkwardly, " have seen her
/ never saw him. '','- e 80. Y 3
SHY POOR child !" exclaimed the Yoman,
tearfully "He must be our lost child my
heart tells me so"
s''There is certainly a resemblance to this
| young mar" said the Warden "Well, my
boy, how should you like to be carried from
here to pleasant home h .sl9el 9as ss
How would you feel if should tell you
that you were the lost boy belonging to this
lady and gentleman? I" e
''The lads face frightened. II was lost
sir, when was little 'un," he cried, turn
| ing to Mr,sMunsen.
"And we believe you are our child" said
Mr. Muusen tearfully.s s8$aes
"Will you take Is, ne 2 this ?" queried the
boy his face glowing with hope. ssThey
| beat and starved me till they drove me to il
I-was always treated like dog VIZ =.
What change for the homeless and the
| outcast! Home, parerts, friends, kind com
papions, good teachers, everything that heart
| could desire Not long after, when the Nun
sens had returned to their own city and saw
| the lad, SO great Eas the difference in. his APP
pearance that | should not have recognized
| him at all. sdaid essss71s H II ~
1--WE are very sure he is our child, and
quite satisfied with him." his mother said
The is indeed brand plucked from the burn
| ing--ALMA., :. s4ses7:. MI: L, III.
A conductor on Connecticut railroad pass