Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1874-02-26
THE LOST CHILD.

One day the Count Won Sherman went
hunting. While in the woods cry Of dis
tress from cliff high above arrested his at
tention. Looking up in the direction from
which the cry came, he saw, in an eagles nest,
sweet little boy, whom the bird of prey was
just on the point of throwing to her young
for food. The sight of the lovely child moved
the heart of the Count. He climbed the
cliff as anxiously as the most loving of fathers,
and rescued the child from the beak and
talons Of the bird.
The Count afterwards educated the child,
who was called Otto, in all useful and neces-
sary knowledge and, in return, the boy gave
his foster-father great deal Of happiness,
and grew up to be promising youth.
After some years had passed away, the
Count went with Otto to his country seat.
There came one day a stranger to the castle.
He had recently lost his humble cottage by a
disastrous fire, together with all his other pos
sessions, and was now obliged to ask help of
benevolent people.
Otto, who, at this time, was feeding the fish
in pond in the garden, as soon as he saw
the poorly-clad man, went up to him, and,
speaking kindly to him, asked what he wan
ted. Upon hearing the poor mans sad tale
he assured him of his sympathy, and conduc-
ted him to the Count.
The Count was very gracious to the afaict
ed man, and after encouraging him by prom
ising help, ordered him to wait until he should
return from his study. In the meanwhile the
poor man looked about in the beautifully
furnished room and discovered picture
which represented the rescue of Otto from the
eagles nest. The Count had caused this pic
ture to be painted in memory of that adven-
ture and hung in this room. The poor man
gazed long on this picture. Tears glistened
in his eyes.
30, gracious SIR" said he, greatly excited,
when the Count came back into the room,
"pray tell me what this picture represents ?"
The Count then related how he had found
his beloved Otto in the eagles nest, and had
taken him to himself and treated him as his
own, and how, in spite of all his efforts, he
could never gain any reliable information
concerning his parents:
81 too," said the distressed man, "about
twenty years ago, lost darling sou in like
manner. We we're moving in the meadows,
and the child was asleep on the grass near,
when powerful bird of prey, swooping sud-
denly down, seized him and flew away"
The Count thought instantly that perhaps
his Otto might be this mans child. He said
to him, do you know of no mark by which,
if the child lives, you may identify him ?"
20, yes" answered the man, "our little
Martin had mother-mark on his right arm" "
Now, the Count had already discovered
such a mark on Ottos right arm, and the
clothes which Otto wore at the time of the
rescue were Identical with the description
which the man gave.
The Count could now doubt no longer.
Pointing to Otto, he said, "Look, my good
man that youth who brought you to me is
your lost Martin !"
For moment the happy father could not
speak for JOY; then he began to weep and cry
90, my son."
Otto cried 20, my father"
And each embraced the other heartily.
They could not sufficiently thank and bless
the God who had prepared for them this great
joy.
The Count now desired to know the mother
and Ottos brothers and sisters He sent his
own cOacn LOT Lnetn, anu alteT a lew udyS
they arrived at the castle. The happiness
which both parents and children felt at meet
ing thus with their long-lost Martin was in
describable.
The Count, when he had become satisfied
of the poor mans perfect honesty, made him
the proposal that he should settle near there
with his family, and gave him nice farm for
his own.
Jacob-for that was the poor mans name,
soon was in comfortable circumstances; but
Otto became an active and noble man. He
was esteemed and loved by all who knew him,
and afterwards the Emperor, in consideration
of the valuable services he had rendered the
country, raised him to the Office and honor of
Baron of Aldersheim [ ["Eagle's home:"]
Tile Methodist
sy" Every thought and feeling is painting
stroke, in the darkness, of our likeness that
is to be; and our whole life is but chamber,
which we are frescoing with colors that do
not appear while being laid on wet, which