Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1871-09-02


ger-which he supposes he shall be some
day-that the providence of God will
watch over him aud protect him. And
so he presses onward to the entrance Of the
wood
"Are not sparrows," he hears, "sold
for farthiug?" and one shall not fall to
the ground withou: our Fathers notice.
But the hairs Of your head are numbered
Fear not, therefore, ye are Of more value
than many sparrows."
The man is there before him. He has
pushed himself in the thicket and cut a
heavy stake. He suffers the boy to 90 on
before, and then he comes out, falls into
the path and follows him. 1t is too light
at present for his deed of darkness aud too
near the entrance of the wood, but he
knows that shortly the path will branch
off into two, and the right one for the boy
to take will be dark aud lonely.
But what prompts the little midshipman,
when not fifty rods from the branching of
the path, to break into sudden run? 1t
is not fear-he never dreams Of danger.
Some sudden impulse Or some wild wish
for home makes him dash off suddenly
after his saunter with whoop and bound.
On he goes, as if running for race. The
path bends and the mau looses sight Of
him. "But shall have him yet" he
thinks; he cannot keep up the pace
long" The boy has nearly reached the
place where the path divides; he puts up
white owl, that can scarcely fly as it
whirriug along close to the ground before
him. He gains upon it; another moment
and it will be his. Now he gets the start
again. They come to the branching off
the path, and the bird goes down the
wrong one. The temptation to follow is
too strong to be resisted; he knows that
somewhere deep 10 the wood there is a
cross track which he has left; it is only
to run little faster aud he shall be home
nearly as soon.
On he pushes; tho path takes bend,
and he is just out Of sight when his pur-
sucr comes where the path divides. The
boy had turned to the right, and he takes
tho left, and the faster they both run the
farther they are asunder.
The white owl still leads him on, the
path gets darker and narrower; at last
he finds that he has missed it altogether,
and his feet are on the unsafe ground. He
founders about among the trees and
stumrs, vexcd with himself, and painting
after his race. At last he hits upon
another track, and pushes on as fast as he
can. The ground begins sensibly to des-
cend he has lost his way--but he keeps
bearing to the left, and though it is now,
dark, he thinks he must reach the main
point sooner or later.
He does not know this part of the wood,
but runs on. Oh, little midshipmun why
did you chase that owl? Ifyou had kept
the path with that dark man behind
you there was chance that you might
outrun him; or if he had overtakeu, you
some passing wayfarer might have heard
your cries and come to save you. Now
you are running straight unto your death,
for the forest water is deep aud black at
the bottom Of this hill o! thatthe' moon
might come out and show it to you.
The moon is under thick canopy of
heavy black clouds, and there is not
star to glitter on the water and make it
visible. Tho fern is soft under his feet
as he runs and slips down the hill. At
last he strikes against stone aud stumblcs
and falls. Two minutes more and he will
fall in to the black water.
Heyday!" cries the boy, "what is
this? oh, how it tears my hands! Oh,
this thoru.bushl Oh, my arms! can't
get free!' lie struggles and pants. CAN
this comes from leaving the path" he
says. 81 shouldn't care for rolling down
if it hadn't been for this bush. The fern
was soft enough. I'll never stray away in
a wood at night again. There, free at
last! And my jacket nearly torn off my
back" '"F'
With good deal of patience and a great
many scratches he got free Of tho thorn
which had arrested his progress when his
feet were within yard of the water, man
ages to scramble to the bank, and makes
tho best of his way through the wood.
And now, as the clouds move slowly on.
ward, the moon shopc her face on the
black surface of the water, aud the little
white owl comes, boots and futters over it
like wandering snowdrift. But the boy
is 10 the wood again, and knows nothing
Of the danger from which he has escaped.
All this time the dark passenger follows
the main track, and believes that the boy
is before him. Atlasthe hears crashing
Of dead boughs, aud presently the little
midshipman's voice, not many yards be.
fore him. Yes, it is true; the boy is in
the cross track. He will pass the cottage
in the wood directly and after that his
pursuer will come upon him. ....
The boy bounds into the path; but as
he seesthe cottage he is thirsty and so hot
that he thinks he must ask the inhabitants
if they can sell him glass of ale. y
lie enters without ceremony" Ale :"
says the woodman, who was sitting at his
supper. o." No, we have no ale, but perhaps
my wife can give thee drink Of milk.
Come in.1,l So he comes 10 and shuts the
door, and while he sits waiting for the