The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1874-07-27
WILLIE.

Wy ~ Whn. MH WeEd tuEee COuutIy
lads going home across the lots at moor
2 for our dinner. In passing q lonely
pasture ground we saw q little baskel
lying ahead Of us upon the grass. We
made race for II, and Ed captured The
prize Q little farther on we picked W
o little hat which we at once recognized
as Willie Dedrick's. Then we turned
the angle Of the zig.zag rail fence, and
there in the corner, jammed close under
the bottom rail, was beautiful little
Willie, only Eve years old. G q sfi
His clothing was torn and bloody,
and he did not move; we felt little
afraid because he was so still, but We
went upto him. He was dead, and hit
plump little features were oil blackened
with great bruises. its 'a iIdf
~ Itshocked us very much. Only three
hours before wehad been playing with
Willie at the pond. We felt that Il was
terrible thing 10 find him dead in this
unlocked for manner. We asked each
other what Walter and Mary would dc
when they should hear OF this. Willie
was the only boy they had. And thsn
+ the question came up what we ought to
do under such circumstances. There
was no one in sight to tell us. II was
suggested that we might take up the
body and carry II home to Walter and
and Mary /; " was not far through the
lot and down the bank, TO the pond
where their home was. II seemed
naturaland right at first that we should
take the chubby little boy and carry
him home. But we shraAk from the
presence OF death even in the form Of
little Willie; and besides that, we had
certain dim and confused ideas, as
6 country ladsdo who read the city news.
Pasers, that somehow % coroner was
necessary. and that II would not be law.
fnl vr.safe for us to meddle with Willie
thus strangely found dead from an an
known cause.
30 we sat down upon the large stones
near by Willie and held q council.
There was no chairman appointed, and
no secretary, and none OF tie surround.
ines that ordinarily belong TO delibera.
tive bodies; nevertheless in all the
essentials Of agreat council this COCA.
Sion was very eminent. Here were three
lads seated upon three fragments oil
the ancient granite which strews the
northern slope OF the Adirondack Noun.
tains, and below them stretched the
wila, woods, away TO the valley OF the
mighty st. Lawrence !; and In their
midst, upon that bright summer day,
sat the skeleton king with his awful
sceptre and his iron crown, pressing
upon their warm hearts those match.
less terrors which have ruled the world
since time began. lsap5p l5F5- 7
1twas anaugust presence, and the
boys felt their responsibility more than
members Of councils Ordinarily do.
Their final conclusion was, that one Of
their number must go and tell Walter
and Mary, while the other two watched
the body. II required quite as much
courage as wisdom To reach this conclu.
sion, for to tell the parents was task
the boys dreaded.
The lot was cast, country.boy fashion,
with three blades Of grass, TO deter.
mine who should be the messenger oil
evil tidings. The lot fell upon Phil,
and he Immediately rose up TO start
Ed suggested Of this point that in send.
ing word the death ought To be as.
scribed to some cause. The boys had
been very msch puzzled from the first
to know whatcould have doneit. They
gazed about the pasture ground to dis.
cover what suggestion could be made.
There were o couple Of horses, some
COWS and some sheep, grazing In O dis.
tant part OF the inclosure. As soon as
it was suggested that one Of the horses
might perhaps hive done IL by kicking
Willie, the boys accepted that rs the
natural and undoubted solution OF the
mystery. And 80 Phil took that word
with him. ti,7el "a -tN, liff
Phil went upon little trot through
the lot and downthe bank, movid rap.
idly 80 that his heart might not have
time TO quail or shrink /; and in less
than Eve minutes he stood by the little
house near the pond.
he looked In at the door, which was
wide open upon this warm summsr day,
and there he saw Walter and Mary.
Walter sat cleaning the lock OF his rifle,
while the gun itself was lying across
his lap. Doubtless Phil's face was
somewhat pale as he went in at the
door, for Mary looked at him as II she
saw something there, and dreaded II.
The lad had good sense he did not
blunt out the sad news suddenly. he
said to Walter In o quiet way, "Will
you please TO step out Of the door will
me2 wish To see you" .as M.
1t was the earnestness Of the voice,
perhaps, that caused the man 70 put
aside his gun aud obey so quickly. :
When they were out Of the house
Phil said, al have bad news for you;
we have found your little sonin the LOT,
kicked by q horse, and We are afraid
that he "a so bad that he Is dead.
Phil had thought OF this way OF say.
ing IL before he got to the house. When
he said dead, Walter gave 0 little start
aud said, IFS lie deadly
Phil had 10 say, .Yes, we arc afraid
he is, aud we think he is
Walter stepped into the cottage and
Phil stood at tile door to see how be
would tell Mary. Walter said, without
any preface, "Mary, eur little Willie
10 dead |"
"That was not q prudent thing" the
boy thought, as tho tragic words foil
upon his ear and fixed themselves in
his memory.