Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-08-17
Willy and His Dog.

When Willy was about six years old,
his father lived in mining country, where
lead is found under the ground. In
searching for lead, the miners begin by
digging large round hole, which they
call a shaft. There was shaft in Mr.
Lees pasture, which some miners had be.
gun, but had abandoned before it was very
deep.
At that time Willy was very little
fellow; but he knew n good deal for boy
of his age. He knsw how TO read and
write. He often wrote letters TO his uncles
and aunts, which pleased them very much ;
for, though he did not write as Prown.up
people do, his letters were just as plain as
print.
So when his birthday came, one of his
aunts sent him q little writing book to
carry in his pocket. There was place in
the book for a pencil, and bis aunt had
put a nice. little red pencil in it, so that
Willy might write just when he pleased.
Willy thought a great deal Of this little
book, and always kept it in his pocket
One day he called his dog, and said,
Come, Caper, let us have a play" and
away ran Willy and the dog to have play
together under the trees.
WHY'S mamma was very busy; but she
began to miss him She went 10 the door
and looked out, and could not see Willy
anywhere; but she knew that Caper was
with him, and thought they would come
back before long. She waited an hour,
and still he did not come. Then she went
out 10 look for him.
When she came TO the gate by the road,
she met Mr. Lee, aud told him how long
l., la.I NJ 7 L., L,.,
must have gone To sleep under some Of
the trees, for the weather was very warm
so they went to all the trees under which
Willy was in the habit OF playing, and
called him, ard called Caper, but they
were no where TO be found.
By this time the sun had gone down
Mr.. Lee ran to neighbor to get
help la find his little boy. Poor
fright The news that lilly was lost
8 ION spread over the neighborhood and
all the men and women turned out to hunt.
They hunted all night; but Willy was not
to be found.
When daylight came, Mr. Lee got home,
looking very pale, and his voice trembled
as he spoke Of his darling boy. AS to the
poor mother, her heart seemed TO be
breaking.
The neigbbors were gathered round, and
all were trying TO think what TO do next,
when Caper came bounding into the room
There was string tied round his neck,
and bit of paper tied to the string.
Mr. Lee took the paper and saw that it
was a letter from Willy. He read it aloud
1t said, 90 pa! come to me. am in the
big hole in the pasture"
Everybody ran at once to the far cor
ner Of the pasture, and there, sure
enough, was Willy, alive and well, in the
shaft. Oh. how glad be was when his
dear papa caught him in his arms and
lifted him out And his mother--I cannot
tell you how glad she was Sometimes
she cried, and sometimes she laughed, as
she held him in her arms, and looked into
his face, to be sure that nothing was
wrong y it'll him.
Now, will tell you how Willy came to
be in the shaft. He was playing with
Caper in the yard, when he thought he
would climb over the fence and take a lit
tie run in the pasture. He soon found
himself on the green grass under the great
trees and then he though he would run
all over the pasture.
30 he kept on till he came TO the shaft
He went close to the edge and sat down !;
and, In bending over TO zoe how deeY il
was, he lost his balance. and fell In He