American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-04-11
VOL. XIV.

| tne nay-nelQ ull L STOOD beside the waite
1t was a dark, dirty stream, full of Shiny
crawling things, and frogs croaked di:
mally along the banks.
How shivered as thought of my blue
eyed boy, who might be lying beneath tn
hideOus green scum that covered tn
water. I could not bear the thought; bu
the awful dread OF it wouldn't let me res
till l knew for certain, and l tore OF
shoes and stockings and stepped down il
the water. 1t crept like living thin
around my ankles and above them hal
way to my knees. 1t was thick with mud
and could not see an inch below tn
surface. So stopped down and scoopet
my arms along on either side of me
reaching to the bottom and out to eacl
slippery bank.
1t was awful work. Now and then my
hand touched a frogs cold, clammy back
and only knew it was not my darling,
dead hand or face when it jumped from
beneath my fiRgers. Reeds and long
grasses brushed against my ankles, and
my heart stood still while bent to lift my
baby's flaxen curls Once sharp stone
| cut my foot and fancied it must be the
metal buckles of Harry's little shoe
Once, too, a water-snake coiled about my
arm, and for a moment dreamed of my
baby's clinging fingers. Then shook of
the hideOus thing and went on YEARLY
yet with resolute patience.
After what seemed to me long hours
the bottom of the stream grew thick with
pebbles, the water grew clearer ana shall
lower, and the willows were gone from
the banks. l could walk upright now,
and could see through the clear water
all that lay beneath. So l went on faster
but more hopeful 1 had entered the edge
of the woods by this time, and the moon
shine nenetr6ted but dimlY
Still 1 kept on. l hoped for nothing.
MY heart was sick with utter despair, and
yet when came out into little open
place where the water, sweeping round
the foot of an immense pine tree, made
the tiniest of little bays, and l saw my
boy lying fast asleep on the very brink of
the water, l felt no surprise.
hungry and cold, but safe-safe in his
mothers longing arms. I did not faint
l shed no tears. l only gathered my
sleeping boy close to my heart and turned
toward home. l had come far out of
sight of the house, but l knew the direc-
ton in which it lay and felt no fear of
not reaching it safely. And l did get
home at last, with clothes torn by the
underbrush and bare feet cut and bleed
ing from stones and rocks over which l
had walked unheeding. went across
huC tuACSuoAA Va c"A NoOl a. ioSe, eahu
laid my precious burden down on the
settee before the still smoldering fire.
Then / took down the great dinner horn
and, going into the yard, blew it long and
often, till at length the answering shots
told me was heard and understood.
Then I raked down the fire and built it
up anew, and warmed and dried and fed
my baby, the while his eager prattle told
me how he had wandered away till the
path was lost and papa's house could not
be seen, nor any place that looked famil-
lar to the baby eyes; and how he was
hungry and by-and-by so tired, and then
it grew dark and he said his little prayer
and lay down to sleep-sure, in his child
ish faith, that papa or mamma would
come for him before morning; because
l knew you'd be afraid to have me out
doors all night, mamma" he said, in his
childish fashion.
And then / heard the hurried steps of
the coming men. l went to the door to
meet them with Harry in my arms. Jo-
siah and the boys came first, and l gave
nay baby into his fathers arms and fell
down at his feet-for the first time in my
life I had tainted dead away.
Afterward had brain fever, and when
at last went about the house again the
snow was lying deep upon the ground
and my hair, so dark before, rivaled the
snow in hue.-Rurdl Neao Yorker.