Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1872-08-29

he had, most likely, gone without leave, to
play with our nearest neighbours boy.
But, rs it began to grow dark and he did
not return, one of tho eldor boys was dis
patched to bring him. lie soon Game
buck with tho Intelligence that he had not
been seen. Where, then, was our bright,
black.eyed little boy, Charlie9 A name
less, but u,,spoken dread seixcd our hearts,
~ my father and brothors started out into
the darkness u search for him among tho
neighbcrs.
How like hours dragged tho slow mo-
ments Of suspense ~ my mother, my sister
and myself sat with beating hearts and
trembling breath, anxiously listening for
tho sound Of returning footsteps. 1t w''s
not long, however, before thoy came, ono
after another, but no tidings Of the lost
little boy. 1t WAS ten o'clock; tho night
was dark ~ pitch every house within =
milo had boon visited; we must alarm the
neighbOrs ind = soaruh must bo commence
cd.
ln imagination, even now, | can zoe the
hard limos Of agony that gathered around
the white, set, lips in each paid face. All!
tie Greet 1.-the creek wore tho dreadful
words that sprang instinctively to every
lip, but which every lip refused to utter,
lost giving the horrible fear expression
should make it realized.
But nevertheless, there it ran, only half
milo away, and I'LL that long, bright sum-
mer day ithad rippled and spurkled and
babbled in the golden sunlight, over
stretches of shadows whose bottoms were
brilliant with many ool"red pebbles, un-
der overhanging, grassy banks, and
through narrows whore the willows and
alders, and ferns. aud tangled vincs, made
fantastic arches above it, aud then plung-
cd with whoop and hurrah into tho in
sidious and unknown depths Of CLASSY
eddies. The inny tribes dartsd into and
out from its alluring hooks, ind the speck-
led trout ~ no leisurely swan OF shot
like an arrow shrough the crystal waters,
glanced in tho sunlight like Il tiny diadcnl
Of jewels. The softest of summer airs
swayed the gracefully dropping boughs,
the birds sang tho humming- birds dar,sd
here and there among the wild honey.
suokles and columbines tho busy bees
muruured in their honeyed depths, and
tho bright winged butterflies gaily fitted
from flower 10 flower.
U, it was an alluring spot to bright
restless little boy whose time hung heavily
upon his hands! Often and often sad hi
been there all aloue " to swim" until oul
parents had positively forbidden his eve,
going there alone again, and he had vol
emsly promised obedience.
Aud yet, though not q word va,
spoken, each lima gination pictured gu,
poor Charlie At the bottom Of some 10
ceitful eddy with, perchance, the brittle
fragment Of some treaoherous limb tight,
clutched in bis little, rigid hands.
We all rushed from the house by &
common impulse, and, though no word wa
spoken, each knew that it was 10 alarm
the neighbors aud search the creek. A,
soon however, as We wore all out VI duvr.
Our eldest brother sent forth tho beloved
name with all the energy Of despair in on,
long, loud, trumpet call Of "Ckar-r-r-rliel'
-expecting that the resounding wood,
alone would give back the hooking echo
when lo!-" what" in sl,epy, broker
voice, came from box near by, in which
was large quantity Of fresh straw, ant
two snowy mites Of baby pigs. Amid sus
picious snif1iings and screams Of laughter
our dear Charlie was lifted from tho nos
whore, tired and sleepy, he had cuddlet
down with his grati6ed but queer littl,
bedfellows, and was soon in u prpfouu.
slumber.
Ye who have had your dead restored t.
life, imagine what joy aud thanksgivin,
swelled our hearts ~ we laid our head
upon our pillows that night.