Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1872-06-18

vain she told wonderful stories, sang
little scraps of songs, or pretended to
run away from them. to tempt along fur
lhrr They whimpered and so6bed. and
when they Tell down. they lay ill she
picked them up--or when she ran on be-
tore them. stood still and roared Justify
ill she came back and shook them, and
,hcn kissed them persisisntly. She got
them along some distance, when they
came upon anothor glade il seemed to
her. and she let them sit down to rest q
little. They laid their curly heads in her
lap, aud before She knew il. were sound
asleep. Half conscious OF the useless.
ness ot trying to awake them, the little
girl sat looking around. thinking to her.
self that the place looked very familiar.
There was heap of cones lying on the
old stump which certainly Johnny had
put there! And heap OF dry leaves in
another spot Willie had collected for Il
ue>l. pu,iing stones in it lor eggs. which
he pretended 10 hatch! BY degrees the
" on,er deepencd into certainiy-,hey
were in the same glade, and no nearer
hnne than they were an hour ago. The
liili" girl was puzzled. but her youth pre-
vented her from understanding the dan
ger they were in.
Tired herself. with her shoulders and
arms aching from the effort aud strain OF
holding up the stumbling bows. she rest
cd her head back against the rough
bark ui an old pine tree. aud sank into
profound slumber. The shadows deep.
ened. 4 chill crept Though the lofty
ai:lvs; damp smells arose from the de-
Gazing wood aud mouideilng leaves.
Thu out ines OF the bushes aud the trunks
"i tho trees became Vague, aud still the
sleepvrs slumbered on. Oncu u moon
beam penetrated the thick. green canopy
above than, and glided stsrtlingly down
Ia linger n few moments over the litilo
group The sisters aims rested protect
ingly over the boys as they lay on sithsr
side. with theii curly heads and bare up
turned faces on her lap. while her own
head turned back against the trunk OF he
tree. framed in tho little red hood. looked
very sweet and peaceful. Then the
beam stole up and disappeared. and all
~.s deeper darkness.
Then the little girl awoke and looked
icsriully around her. Rustlings among
the leaves. hushings in the swaying tree
tops, shrill, iaiut cries OF insects, were
each distinctly audible TO her listening
ears. The vines hanging from tree to
tree. her playthings by day. assumed the
proportion OF gigantic serpents in the
misty gloon. The tangled clumps OF
undcrbrush. and taller bushes. shaped
themselves into crouching forms which
filled her little heart with an awful
terror.
But sleep. blessed Angel. bent brood
ingly over the lorlorn little group. lie
scitly touched the eyeiids that were
.lraining themselves open TO catch some
new fear, aud she sank back to sleep with
a vision OF home In the dream mirror he
held over her closing eyes.
But when morning slowly dawned. the
poor children awoke, cold and still and
hungry Trembling aud weeping. they
resumed their wanderings UP and down.
calling in vain for father. mother. now
certain they heard their voices IN reply.
ana rushing wildly here and there. 10
sink down exhausted, now pressing for
ward In desperate silence. with certain
expectation OF reaching spot where
they could catch glimpse Of that dear
louged for home. only 10 meet with more
disappointment.
Nellie gathered all the berries she
could find and gave them 10 her little
bro. hers. She forgot her own needs; in
irving TO soothe them she would become
hopeful herself.
In a little while NO will be- there. |
guess. she kept saying; but night sur
prised them, alas further still from
home. and she mingled her tears with
theirs rs they sat down in tho glo0m and
knew that they would not sleep in their
little beds that night. Nellie gathered
leaves Tor her brothers and her own bed,
but hunger and increasing cold kept
them awake, and with the first lifting oi
night. they resumed their search for the
path which must lead them back to the
home they would never forsake again il
they once found.
And nov Neliies cole care was tor her
brothers. Exposure to the damps of the
wood. hunger and thirst and unwontetl
fatigue were beginning 10 toll an them.
They did nat weep rs much. but stag
gered alopg stupid aud accomplishing.
She found birch bark and sassafras
leaves. which she gave them, and DC.
casionally wintergreen leaves. or the dry,
sour remains of wild grapes. She did
not eat any herself i.Ihere was :, moi
enough for ALL" she SAID :, .,,,,,v - w;,,;,
""0" ~ offered her some oil his share
She shook out the dry seeds from the
pine cones. and they helped to stiae the
pangs Of hunger Tor time.
Another night passed. They slept in
spite of cold and hunger, for their
strength was failing. They babbled in
their sleep of "mother-home-bread'