Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1872-05-30

SCutltultn, ldllcS ana clllltFtli, tilG
boys acting as advance guard ana Skin
mlshers, tearing through the bushes,
and tossing each others hats high in
air. Nearly all of the party carried
baskets. the sight of which made the
famished child's mouth water, but
speedily they were deposited together
for safe keeping; and then began the
sport IN earnest. Two swings were put
up, and game succeeded game with
wonderful rapidity.
And so the day wore on; the little
boy safe i'll his hiaing place-in spite
of hunger and his keen sense of his
friendless condition--could not but be
amused by the comical pranks and an
ties of the gay little picnickers. At
one time if he only dared he could have
pulled the dress of little girl who ran
bump against the bushes-lust to see
what she would have done, of course.
He resisted this temptation, but when
a fat chubby boy, in endeavorlng TO
show how far he could Jump from log
| lost his balance, turnad 4 complete ana
and unexpected somersault, and came
up standing with Just the queerest look
on his funny round face, he forgot HIM
self and laughed out merrlly with the
rest. The sound of his voice frighten-
ed him, but subdued giggles continued
TO issue from the clump of bushes near
the elm Fortunately they were nm
/ heard i'll the general tumuit, and he
yet remained undiscovered.
The sun was rapidly getting into the
west and IT was full two hons past mid
day, when grand hustle of prepare
ton announced that lunch would soon
! be ready. There was rushing to and
fro from the lake with pals of water;
snowy table cloths We're spread ON the
grass, the contents of the basket placed
thereon, light puffy biscuits, sand
wiches, delicious looking cakes. tarts,
pies, turkey, ham, chickens, etc, max
ing most tempting array of goodies.
| Then all was ready and waiting for the
blessing, which dear old gentleman
asked reverentiy. Il guess you are
not hungry. missy murmured the
child as watching the party with his
! keen dark eyes, he saw little girl re-
lect a biscuit, disdainfully, \ boy toss
ed away a half picked chicken bone.
"Ah there Will be plenty left for the
birds and me-" thought the hungry
one.
"What shall we do with the broken
pieces" asked lady OF another as she
| packed away the dishes "Leave the
bits for the birds" was the answer, and
/ so it came to pass that quantity of
vituals was piled at the foot Of the old
/ elm. Downywing seeing the crumbs
/ from his perch, and the child behind
/ the bushes, both longed ernestly for
+ the departure of their woodland guests,
that they might begin their feast.
cone song before we part, SAID a
/ gentleman, and their voices joined III
the music of the beautiful hymn, con-
/ Guiding with the grand old doxolOgy,
praise God from whom all blessings
! flow"
Lingering yet awhile as if loath to
/ depart. the gentlemen went first to har-
! ness the horses, which had been tether-
ed through the day; then followed the
/ girls and boys filling the air with song
ana Jest. Two ladies remained in ear
1 nest conversation, while unuoticed by
/ them. wee toddler was climbing "A
/ bank which overhung the water. \
/ bunch Of wild flowers allured her on
/ The chubby fingers twlnlng around the
| twigs and grasses helped her upward
! 1t was only little knoll after all, but
/ she was very near its edge, and the lake,
which was shallow in certain places was
deep here A shrill whistle pierced
through the woods, a loud splash in
the water, the flowers still nod gaily at
/ the top of the hill, but the child is
gone. Elsie darling where are
YOU, cried one of the ladies but there
was no reply Winged by tear, both of
them almost few up the bank. There
was just one glimpse ofa white dress
/ and golden bair floating upon the wa
ter, Il little face turned skyward, and
two tiny arms thrown upward then
/ the cruel waves closed over her cob
my child my darling!" shrieked the
frantic mother, she will be drowned |.
and | can not help her. Run, Mary,
run; call some one quick or it VIII be
too late and she sank upon her
knees, her face white and rigid with
/ despair.
Her companion turned and ran, al
most breathless, toward the road. stun
! bling over sticks and against bushes in
her haste But help was at hand the
/ bushes beside the elm parted sudden
4 ly, light form darted up the knoll,
two thin brown hands clasped them
selves above a boyish head, and hike an
arrow cleaving the air the young diver
shot downward into the water.
Who on what he was the mother
could not tell, only she knew twas an
answer to her prayer, In a moment,
though it seemed an hour, she saw some
thing rise TO the surface and strike out
for the shallow water lower down. -
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