The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1872-11-28


mons. And presently the ram began
to pour down in great, drenehing
sheets. Poor Deborah wrung her
hands in agony.
ooh, my chrildren," she cried,
"my poor little Totty, what will be-
come of herr"
The father hurried on, followed
by Gyp, on and on, till they we're in
the very heart of the wood. But no
trace of the children appeared.
"Gyp," said the father turning to
the dog again, 'can't you find the
children? Come, good dog, try!,
And Gyp, with his nose to the
ground, went off like an arrow
The parents followed, needless Of
the pelting storm. On and on, into
the heart of the wood, and round to
the shore of the pond! There the
poor fellow stopped, with the peeu-
liar cry.
The father and mother hastened
up. There, in the yielding earth,
were little footprints, the unmis-
taxable impress of Totty's chubby
shoes, and strewn about we're bits of
moss and broken flowers; and pres
emily, away out upon the yellow an
| CRY waters of the pond, they espied
Marks little cap.
AS she recognized it, the poor
mother uttered q piteous cry.
"Oh, my precious babies! they
are gone-they are drowned?'
''Yes,' replied the father, hoarse=
ly, "they are gone! Imust get help
and drag the pond! Ny poor Sife,
you had better come homer
But Deborah shook her head and
crouched down upon the shore Of
the yellow pond. And there she sat,
with the pitiless storm beating on
her unsheltered head, waiting and
watching in the very patience of de
spair.
Her husband went for help, and
his neighbors responded to his call.
They hurried to the spot by scores,
and the pond was dragged, but the
bodies Of the children could not be
found. Again and again they re-
peated their efforts, but with a like
result. The storm had spent it's
fury-the thunders ratified far away
in the distance-and through the
riffs in the black clouds 8 fall sum
mer moon pourded down it's silver
light. The men stood around the
yellow circlet of water, regarding
each other in client perplexity, when |
faint and far away came the sound of
a tremulous cry. It came Agsin-s |
long and mournful cry.
cts Gyp," he said, dsshing or
in the direction of the sound, "he's |
found 'emT
Debbie and her neighbors follow
ed, through the dripping, moonlit
forest. As they neared the spot the
dog heard the coming, and the howl
into joyful bark. He came
bounding out to meet them from be-
meath e little cOppice thickly rooted
with vines.
There they we're, side by side on
the seeking moss, little Totty fast
asleep with her curly head pillowed
ou Marks arm. Mark WAS wide
awake, his eyes hs bright ss dia-
nonds.
The moment he caught sight of
ais mother he burst into tears.
Poor mother" he cried out, 81
VAS q naughty boy to make you suf-
isr so, hut indeed I didn't mean to.
We met Tom Saunders in the wood.
and he told us there WAS some jolly
big Strawberries down by the pond,
md I thought we'd get 'em to please
-ather But Totty walked so slow,
he storm was up before we got
here. But got the strawberries,
md bouncing big fellows they are.
Here they are, father; I held on to
em. By the time got my basket
'ull the wind was blowing great
guns. and Totty began TO cry, ]
.ook her in my arms snd tried to
'un, snd the wiad took my cap of .
md whirled it plump into the mid
lie Of the pond. Oh, my buttons,
,ut it did rain But I hugged
rotty tight, and ran ana ran, but
somehow l could not run right-the
torn turned me round. ] saw this
,lacc at last, and We crept in, and
,oOr Totty soon cried herself. to
leep and I dozed a bit too, for the
.rst thing 1 knew here was Gyp,
,utting his cold nose on my check" t
They journeyed hOmeward amid c
he glittering summer woods; and
3 they reached the cottage the Sab
,ath morn was breaking, fair and Z
weet and holy-a type of that T
ternal morn which is TO come-one G
.laze Of gold and purple; birds i
wittering from the green hilI-tops- /
Sod's blessed place resting on all
hings like a benediction. {
The grateful parents bore their 3