The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1873-02-13

were lying in cluster on the edge of
the walk. He had evidently been trying
his skill at bouquet-making-and Rob.
bie's taste was not the most dainty;
every thing that grew fresh and dewy,
was TO him posies. free for the pluck
ing. from the flaming dandslions and
dog-fennel, to Efie' pet pinks and sweet
Yiolets.
But the swing hung straight between
the two great pear trees, and bore no
little Robbie.
oh the babyt Where is hep she
thought,
The orch ard, the barn. and then the
fields were searched. No Robbie in the
neighboring thicket. no little fearless
climber on the hay NOV. 40 chubby fin
gers hunting for strawberries in the
meadows, from whence all the berries
had disappeared fortnight ago.
Two or three neighbors passed by
joined in the search. and as the anxiety
grew upon them. still others came, till
at length almost all the settlers therea-
bouts had gathered there.
Efie and Rafe were brought to the
house from the fields, sobbing and al
most heart-brokeR, where they were
kept By an old lady who bad come to
| console Mrs Yarnel. But she would
not be consoled, and wandered on-on-
almost distracted, seeking for her baby.
| The search was extended to the woods,
torches lit mp the dim arcades when the
evening sank into night, but the lights
that fell brightly over the delicate fern,
and bending brake discovered to the
watchful eyes no little baby form, and
the slumbering echoes of the forest woke
and died away, and no answer Came to
their repeated calls.
The moon hung pale and faint against
the horizon, and dawn was coming rosily
in thYeast, when they sought then
homes for brief respite, ere commenc-
ing the search anew.
1t was no impatient mother, murmer
ing about the trouble of little children,
rooms that morning, strangely desolate
without the music of the baby voice and
sunny face of little Robbie. Clasping
Efie and Rafe closely to her-grateful
as only staicken mother can be for the
sweet childish sympathy-who can tell
how bitter were the thoughts crowding
through her overtaxed brain? Yarnell
was still in the forest, Unable to quit the
seurch until the child was found,
There was strange hustle in the kit
chen, noise Of many feet over the bare
floor, which aroused Mrs. Yarnell from
the apathy into which she had fallen.
A dim PERCEPTION that perhaps some
news. at least, bad arrived some clue
leaving to the discovery of her lost dar-
ling-forced itself upon her, and she
rushed toward the door, and reaching It.
met the baby her heart was aching for.
Robbie tum'd home, mammal %
glad Robbie tum?
She would have tainted but that the
sweet warm kisses upon lips and cheeks,
and the cool, soft baby hands, alone
drove the faintness away.
After awhile she heard it all from the
burly old farmer who had brought Rob-
bic home.
e had been to mill the day before,
and passing by Mr. Yarnell's farm, was
DESTROYS to see the new reaper work.
Had hitched his horse. below the garden,
and left them, perhaps half an hour
and did not discover Robbie until after
shutdown, when the chores were done,
and he went to the wagon to unload his
grist, and then, for the first time, saw
the sleeping child behind the bags of
flour and bran. He had climbed in to
get ride-neVer doubling that his papa
owned all the wagons stopping at their
gate-and fell asleep before the farmer
came back from the field
Dir. Simpson had taken him to the
house, and the good wife and the chill
dren had petted the frightened child till
no regret for the home four miles away
| fingered in the infant bind.
L allowed ye'd be uneasy about him,
but had no idea the whole country would
be out huntin' him. I'm sorry now
didn't hitch right up and bring him
home, late as lie was, but the woman
would INT hear of it, and We took the
| best care Of the little chap we could
Yarnell- who had returned and heard
most of the story, and his happy though
| almost, hystsrical wife. could only thank
him-with more gratitude in their hearts
than the honest farmer guessed Of for
the lesson they had learned thereby.
90 lubs Wobbie dite much, don't 90.
mamma? 90 glad Wobbie not in bid
woods, mammal And the little ones
coaxing voice never sounded so sweet be-
fore
Elite and Rafe. in their delight, vowed
never to lose sight of the little sprite
again.
And to think that Robbie had a nice
bed, instead of tree moss aud lichens 7
said Efiie. with gay little laugh; whose
effect was to break up the gravity which
had fallen upon them.
/ wish l could tell you that baby Rob-
bic was model of propricty alter this
That can not do so is because the little
hands proved to be disarrauging ele-
ments as before, and he was not a bit
less mischievious, neither less lovable.
But lie has never lost sight of the
idea Which dawned upon his bright
little mind the morning of his return !;
that mamma really loved and would
! miss little Robbie.
The mother is much more patient
than ef yore-more like the bride of
old; growing more like her old self with
every lesson OF patience, with the duties
Of every day. And, perhaps in the fu-
ture years her heart viii be gladdened,
for her children will surely rise up and
cali her blessed '-Ba{lou' Noathly
-EdgdziaC.