The Republican journal., 1872-09-19
Providence.

summer sunlight lay warm aud bright on
all the green New England hills, and
crept in waves of glimmering gold over
the white. sandcd floor Of Deborah Hun
ter's tidy kitchen. Debbie herself sat Just
beyond the doorway. with Il huge basket
of newly-roned clothes beside her, from
which she was asserting u variety of little
garments, pausing now and then to darn
II hole. or sew on Il button. and singing
softly to herself the while; lor she was Il
happy wife and mother, and her smile
was bright. and her heart cheerful, despite
the endless duties that kept her willing
hands forever busy.
Ont in the garden. under the shadow Of
the elm-trecs, where the Haunting tulips
and sun flowers bloomed. and the bees
made homclv music, Mark and Tottv We're
playing and chattering like Il pair of par
rOtS.
Mark leading his chubby, little sister by
the hand.
''Mother," he said. '-mav we 90 down
10 the wood and gather some strawbcr-
ries? Father likes 'em with cream. vou
know. Please let us, mother? F.? III put
Totty's shoes on, so the prers can't scratch
ntf itel, ana Ill take SuOu t;ttc oi il'f. /.
Mother. may we go?'
Dcbbie smiled and nodded, and Mark
ran of for Toty's shoes, and after con
siderable grunting and tuggin@, snccerl-
ed in getting them on her chubby feet.
Then he rlamberpd up on the dresser, and
got u little, tin kettle. and of they start
ell, hand in hand
''Now Mark, take good care Of your
sister, called his mother "ani don't 60
near the pond. And come back soon, ior
| think we shall have rain before night"
eyes, mother"
Totty looked back, her white Sun-bon-
net tlabbin@ in the breeze, and dscloS sine
her dimped checks and tangled. golden
hair.
"Mother," she lisped. ''touldnI you
dive us one tcam-takc for we does does
one, mothcr?"
And Debbie put aside her needle. and
going to the cupboard, produced the
coveted creamcakes, and put them III the
chubby, little hands. Then She came
back to her work, and resumed her song
And the midsummer afternoon wancd
SLOWLY. The sunshine danced and glim-
mered amid the green elm-hlAnchcs. the
bees hummcd about their hives, and the
hens cackled laZily. in the harii-vard and
the breeze growing stronger, tossed the
purple, lilac boughs till the air was heavy
with their sweet pmlume. Debbie work
ed on, singing softly to herself; and the
sunlight crept stealthily across the sandcd
floor and disappeared ut last beyond the
doorsill. Her work was done; all the lit
tie garments ready for the coming Sab
bath. She rose. and put her basket aside.
'''Tis time the children were coming
back" she said, going to the door, and
glancing out.
The west was one mass of black tbtln-
der-clouds, with lurid, brassy edges; and
even while she stood there came a distant
rumble, prophetic Of what was coming.
"We're going to havea thunder- storm"
she thought, her heart thrilling with fear;
"surely, Mark will hasten home"
She set about her evening preparations,
eager to get them over before the rain.
Halt-an-hour went by, but the children
had not come.
"What can make them stay 50 ?" she
thought, looking out again. and finding
the sky well-nigh overcast, and the great,
black thunder-cloud rolling rapidly up be-
fore the rising wind.
The poor mother, now thoroughly fright
ened, caught up Il shawl, and throwing it
over her head. closed her door and ran
down towards the wood, calling her chill
dren rs she ran. But there came no an
swer-no sound. but the roar of the gath
ering storm, and the angry booming OF
the thunder
She searched and called in vain-thcy
were nowhere to be seen; and half-flantic
wi a nt Sb l,uc1- Il of
her husband, Just returned from his labor
at the door.
ooh, Nathan" she cried. 'rhe children
are gone--lost in the wood What shall
we do ?''
He turned without II word to the huge
Newfoundland that stood behind him.
"Gyp," he said, ''the children are gone;
come, we must find them"
And Gyp trotted soberly after him, fol-
lowed by the poor. distracted mother. As
they reached the wood, the storm broke
upon them in all its fury. The clouds
rolled up in great masses. hlot;ing ont the
waning daylight, and the ightnng blazed
and famed in every direction; while the
thunder ratified from hill to hill, and the
winds tore and shrieked amid the trees,
like q pack OF demons. And presently,
the rain began to ponr down IN great,
drerching sheets. Poor Deborah wrung
her hands in agony.
''Oh. my children !" she cried; "my
poor. little Totty, what will become of
herr"
The father hurried on, followed by Gvp,
on and on, till they were in the very heart
of the wood But no trace of the children
appeared.
"Gyp," said the father, turning to his
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 peculiar,
cry.
The f,ther and mother FASTENED up.
There, in the yielding earth, were little
footprints, the unmistakable impress of
Totty's chubby shoes; and, strewn about,
were bits of moss. and broken flowers:
and presently, away ont npon the yellow.
angry waters of the pond, they cspied
Marks little cap.
As she recognized it, the poor mother
uttered piteous cry.
"Oh, my precious babies they are gone
they are drowned y
EYES," replied the father, hoarscly;
''they are gone! | must get help, and
drag the pond My poor wife, you had
better come home!"
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 unshetered
head, waiting and watching in the very
patience of despair.
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 chill
dren could not be found. Again and again
they repeated their efforts, but with like
result.
The storm had spent its furry, the
thunders ratified far away in the distance,
and through the riffs in the black clouds,
a full, summer moon poured down its
silver light The men stood round the
yellow circlet of water, regarding each
other in silent pcrplcXity; when faint and