St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1875-04-16

though we should lose him. He final
rallied. and partially recovered
though my physician, after many mys-
ferrous hints that can understand now,
told me, that. if | wanted to see him
grow To years of maturity. must leave
New York, and find home upon some
Western farm.
can't tell you, sir how dreaded tu
inform my wife what the physician had
SAID 1t seemed IL terrible sacrifice tn
ask her to make !; and it was only after
months of hesitation that | ventured,
one day, to hroach the subject to her.
10 my great JOY, she SAW the necessity
and at once consented to leave New
York, our friends, acquaintanccs, cul-
tire. ease, and luxury, for the discom-
forts of pioneer life.
In closing my business III the city, an
opportunity occurred which enabled
me to secure what was termed fine
tract of wild western land : and to it
we came. | built this house, and sur
rounded my home with such comforts
as we could procure for here we de
telmlned To remain and rear our child
who was fast growing to be "A noble
| boy.
when Benny was four Years old. he
was child that any parent might have
been proud of and when we SAW his
ruddy checks, and the perfect picture
OF health that he appeared, his mother
and myself both felt that no sacrifice
We had made for him had been too
great. He was the apple of our eyes.
sir, the breath of our life and had
! grown to be the idle of our home-oIIr
! household god. To the exclusion of all
! things else.
Three Years ago this fall, when Ben
ny waS almost five Years old. one dark
November day was in the ield where
| had Il couple of men at work, and.
late IN the afternoon. | Glanced to look
up. and saw the little fellow. accom-
panied by his pet rabbit. coming to-
wards me from the house.
went To meet him. and. taking him
i'll my arms. told him that il WAS too
cold for him out there, and to ran back
t" his mother. | was busy at the time.
and thought no more of the matter
until just before dusk. when returned
to the house and my wife met me at
the door with the inquiry :
"Where's Benny ,"
Before the question had fairly left her
lips. | felt IL chill 60 over me like au
agur tit cold hands seemed I" clutch
my heart. cold lips 10 whisper in my
ear, ''Brnny'> dead" | TUNED towards
my wife. and saw hat as she looked
into my face hers GREW ash, n,l, vbil,.
she. waited for my ,u.v.i NJ, 1orn,.
fairly cl.ayrd to ;br roof ,f m, mnnth
and runId unt b.,,. ,r>,,,,,j e, u,rI
AL
she seemed to read my thoughts : for.
Selling my arm with Il grasp that
can feel to this dly. she gave such a
vail OF anguish ;,s mortal ear, never
listened to before and fell to the floor
in4tlisihlr
can't tell Num VIII, thought 50.
hut. from the moment my wife. asked
inl the child. had Il pir~,mtiment that
Benny was dead. 1t flashed upon me
like lightning. nor could | get rid of it.
though it weighed me down like an
iucumhIS.
We were alone i'll the hou~.., r,, -
( 'lhit' anu l''heh isi "p from Tue moon
ana r"lll'" hei I" 'i'c room 'H'i'' an"
i''d h'l "P''" 'i'' "'"' i"e" sum
t'"Iei aHSiH'an't anu "t''' ".! 7"
doors L" ilnu 'h'' II n"u grow "l''ri
colh' as wen is very dhth. '"N''n',H
hi>p1t'hrd my men 10 i"''>' ''t "''S"-
""is' ANA 'n'ii '''"'"''' !" 'u' n,'">' ~
r"'''N"' !" '''lI'''' ny l''" "'"' vs.
'h''i'" 'h' "'"'. '''' H,''''''' % '''H
Steps 'Pl'Hlc" =" '"i>' "'' ." con
s'''''Ihe>> i"' SUE sprung 10" "'"> "r'
ana 'ilF"N'" hci arms '''"u''" NY l''N
ANA "'hi"S Pi''''lh3'H III my '"'''
'i""
~ OH VIII bring me back my darling
boz. won You. fauI
P"mI>cd her w"ul" ana size "o-
slowed upon me Il hund'"d kiS>">, nun
m"iln@ all the time
hank ""d lac safe. then thanh
tod ne safe. then.
/ Perhaps YOU can imagine. III some
/ degree, my feellnES. y" person ever
experienced such feelings aS did Nh"u
I"alIZcd what | had promised, Ion !
knew that tn" boy WAS dead ~ well ~
! know II NOW and all the while -li"
/ lay At my feet. moaning like some dumb
creature III pam. and trying to console
her with assurances that knew Ill my
heart to he false Bat what else r"rld
/ | do y
When the nci2hhors came in. they
carried hel I" her room while ] went
ont to search for our child. In less
than an hour. all the settlers within
five miles We're hunting. with torches
and lanterns, over the prairie for the
boy. As for me, where | went, "I what
did. have never known for | had
one thought constantly in my mind -
that our boy WAS dead. aud had prom
ised to bring him back to his mother
,l;v.