Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-05-01
The Lost Children.

The Lost Children.
Australia is a very large country. It's
not fall Of people like England. 4 person
may walk many miles without seeing man
or woman, a house or garden There are
very few roads in Australia. Peorle often
wander about without path, and they often
lose their way, and cannot get home again.
A poor man named Mr.. Duff lived in a
cottage, with his wife and three children. Tie
was a carpenter, and hc often built cottages
for English people just come over to the new
land. His throe little dhdren were called
Isaac, Jane aad Frauk.
Isaac and Frank were boys. and Jane was
girl Isaac was nine Jane was seven, and
Frank was only three.
One day their mother Mrs. Daft desired
the little boys 20 60 ont and pick broom.
The two boys had been used to pick broom,
aud they had always come home safely.
This time lsaac begged his mother to al.
low Jane to come with him as well as Frank
oh, mother" ciied he, " do let her come
[ want to show her pretty flowers that have
found in the wood. Do let her come with us,
and We will bring you better broom than we
ever brought home before"
Well, said the mother you may 20,
as you wish it so particularly"
Alter breakfast the happy little ones set
out, with a string to tic up the broom. They
were full Of mirlh, aud little thought Of the
possibility Of being lost on the heath.
They went imme lately to a little hill on
the heath then they scrambled over fence
into Geld where beautiful wild flowers grew
among the broom. Here they played about
TIL they thought it was time to return. But
they had forgotten on which side they had
entered, and they went over the fence on the
wrong side.
4 Aud now they wandered farther and far,
ther from home, till they grew hungry and
tired.
They cried out as loud as possible, " Coo-ey
Coo-ey - but no one was near enough to hear
them.
Meanwhile their parents grew uneasy.
why have not the children returned p
said the father TO the mother.
d" fear they have lost their way" replied
the mother.
'' Let US 90 aud look for them said they
They went and searched everywhere. They
asked their neighbors to help them. "Coo-ey
/ Coo-ey," sounded oil over the heath, but Nc
answer came The parents grew miserabl,
from anxiety. They searched till the SUI
set, and then they searched till the moon
went doSn, and left them in midnight dark
ness. Tneu they went home, but not to sleep,
I - bot cot, il NOT aL,,t tt,,,r a.os
Next morning it was Saturday, and they
searched again They looked on the grouuo
Tor marks Of little feet they could sec NJ
footsteps Men on horseback came from dis.
tunt places. They galloped over the coun-
try calling " Coo-ey, Coo-ey'
On Saturday there was a dreadful storm.
Torrents Of rain poured down. The misera
bic parents shuddercd to think Of the misery
Of their little ones.
Sunday passed away, and Monday came.
Now the neighbors began to think the chill.
dren must have perished in the wet aud the
cold.
But on Monday evening two men found
some little footsteps on the heath These lit
Tie steps we're ten miles from the children's
home, They were precious marks The
men who found them slept on the ground near
the marks lest they should forget where they
we're.
Ca Tuesday one of the men went to tell
his companions of the new found steps
Many people hastened to the place, and search.
ed diligently for more steps. Bat soon the
darkness Of night stopped the search.
Another storm Of rain arose that night
Next day men searched again Great
was the disappointment Of the men to fud
no more footsteps. The rain had washed
them all away.
Wednesday and Thursday we're spent il
looking for the lost children. Many now
said, " They must be dead Nevertheless
the father hoped they were still alive. II,
thought he would ask some black men to heI
him find them for he knew that black mel
were clever in finding footsteps He went
long way on horseback to fetch the black
men.
On Friday night the father came back tc
the heath with three black men, called Dickey
jerry: and Fred These blacks soou found
many marks Of the chldreus wanderings
they found marks Of their feet and of theiI
bodies where they had sat or lain down.
Here" said 0ickey, little one was
tired Here he sat down. Big one kneel
down carry him along
Then Jerry said, Here children travel all
night dark not see bush SHE fall down
on bush"
Here" said Fred, little one tired
again; big one kneel down-no able to rise
fall fiat on his face"
1t was the marks on the ground which
showed the blacks what the children had
done but white men could not see all those
marks.
AT last the blacks came to place just like
the heath near the chidren's home, The lit
tie ones had thought they were near home
and they had gathered broom and tied it up
but soon they had been disappointed, for nc
home was near, and they had thrown away
their broom Poor children
And now Saturday came again. Eight
days the children had been lost, but the
father continued to place his trust in God
A white man found some fresh steps on Sat.
urday afternoon. These steps I'D to a little
nook or thcket where the children had slept
the night before, but now the place was emp-
ty. No footsteps conld be seen, ouly the
marks Of the chidren's bodies on the ground
The father knew not which way to 60, SC
he let his horse go which way il pleased, and
he trusted in God to lead it Alright. The
horse set of in eanter aud brought the
father to place where fresh footsteps were
seen.
The father rode on till he came to little
hill, and from the top looked all around. lie
saw a little clump Of trees, like those under
which the children had slept lie rode i'm
mediately toward the leaiy nook. As he
rode he saw something like clothes iuttcriug
in the wind. He galloped, full Of hope, to.
ward the spot, and he was not disappointed