Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1873-03-26
Clarence Shank's Adventure.
a STORY roR THE BOYS.

oAuhl fVh 1hb BObh.
Come, Clarie, it is almost dinner time
and | want you to run to the depot and get
me time table Of the Erie railroad" said
Mrs. Abram Shank to her son Clarence, on
the 9th day of January, 1879.
I've my old clothes on, mother" said
Clarence, who had been working in coal
that morning.
Never mind Clare; put your oyercoat
on, and run along"
Clarence obeyod, aud went out from his
fathers house, on bis way to the railroad
station, in the city Of Biugbam,on. Din
ner time came, but Clarence had not re-
turned.
don't see where the boy can be-
said his father, as he rose from the dinner
table.
o, bell he here before | get the table
cleared of, said his mother, anxious to
shield her boy. " dare say the ticket
master was busy, or something has kept
him"
Mr.. Shank went away to his work. Mrs.
Shank left Clarences dinner upon the table,
but it had grown cold, aud he was not
come. Two o'clock, aud still the loving
face Of Clarence was not seen in his home.
As the mother worked and waited, the fear
that some accident had come to her 500
grew uutIl it became horror. lie might
have been injured by passing train. A
messenger was hastily sent to the rail-
road station. He soon returned, saying
that no accident had happened there, and
that Clarence had not asked the ticket
master for time table. He could end
no person who had seen the lad about the
place.
What can it mean Clarence would
not 60 away anywhere, for be had old
clothes on said his mother, "and he had
had no dinner either I'm sure be would
not run off,"
Then the father aud the older brothers
were sent for and family council was
held. One said "he might have been car.
ried of op some train This suggestion
seemed very plausible.
Then We must send the telegraph after
him. said Mr.. Shank and he went up to
the office, and messages were sent east,
west, north and south over the railroads
that center at Binghamton. The answers
came speeding back over the lonely miles
of wire, and each one said, mo boy car
ried off on my train"
When every conductor had been heard
from, the father went home. Friends we're
at his house trying to suggest some new
possibility. The Goa. pits were searched
Cellars we're examined. All night men
went up aud down mill-race. They car.
ried lights and thrust the long poles into
the dark water, but not one Of them stirred
the body of Clarence Shank. Saturday
morning came, but not ray of hope came
with it. to tell where the lost one might
be.
No childin all the beautiful city of Biug-
hamton was loved atday as much as was the
lost Clarence Shank 0fal the mother boys
in all the world, there never was one like
her lost darling, thought the tear.laden
heart Of Clarence's mother; but neither
searching nor lamentation nor tears availed
to bring the faintest thread OF news. rf
Saturday night came. Then it was that
somebody said, Don't you remember, the
gypsies passed through Binghamton on
Friday2 Can it be that they carried
Clarence off with them ?" The very ro-
nance Of the thought lent its charm to the
new direction Of search, and the men eager.
ly offered to start with the dawn Of Sunday.
The gypsy band was eucamped 90 miles
away. They might offer stout resistance !;
therefore, as Saturday night was intensely
cold, all the plans were made with refer.
ence to daylight. in' .e'o 'loI faf