The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1875-09-23
From the Joliet SUM-
Frenchman Loses Himself on an
Illinois Farm.

We have received 8 report this
/ morning from one of the townships in
the eastern part of the county adjOiD-
/ ing the State of Indiana, and among
o-her items Ofinterest is the follow
ing, which illustrates in a striking
manner not only the unequsled fer
tility of the soil OF Illinois, but par
tieuiariy the extreme growth which
crops of al kinds have attained this
season
I a Frenehman by the name of Cam
tell A. GOOdlie living in the French
settlement, having occasion on
Saturday last ID visit his brother-in-
/ law, living some five miles distant on
the prairie, left home about 5 O'Clock
in the afternoon, and to save consid-
erable distance, attempted to short
en- his walk by taking n cutoff
through the intervening c0rnfieIds.
To those unaccustomed to sse lii
nOis cOrnfields, it may be well to say
here that in that section Of the coun-
I try corn is almost the only crop rais-
ed over the whole extent Of the coun-
/ try for miles and miles, aud the eOun-
try, being comparatively young. there
are but few fences or even hedges to
mark the dividing lines.
To the eye il is sea of corn, and to
DIR. G1Odlie nearly proved q wilder
ness As dangerous as the trsekless
North woods.
Shortly after he left home q severe
storm, such as we have had numbers
of during the sum- mer, arose and came
driving down upon him. and he was
dreuehed to the skin. The walking
became iatiguing at every step |;
earth, mOistened by the rain, adhered
to his boots in great quantities, until
it became impossible to drag them
after him. He took them off, and
pushed on as best he eORld but min
ute by minute the soil became softer
until he sank nearly to his knees 10
the porous black earth. Night ap-
preached and darkness settled down
upon the fields. He was miles away
from any habitation wet, tired and
nearly exhausted unable to get any
landmark, however slight, by which
he might be guided to home or friends.
The tail corn waved over him and IFS
depths were impenetrable to his eyes,
and he realized that he must pass the
night in solitude as profound as If he
were alone in the midst Of an African
jungle.
AS he could no longer tell the direc-
ton to GO, and could scarcely drag one
foot in advance OF the other, he gave
up the hopeless attempt, and with q
clasp knlfe-his constant companion
cut down enough OF the waving
stalks to make him a bed and cover
Ing, and, shivering with cold and ex-
posure, he sank into heavy sleep.
Night passed, and the glowing sun
rose above the hOriz IN and took his
slow but tiresome course across the
traekless sky, and still ne slept, pro-
fOundly insensibls to the passage of
time, The second night passed by,
and just as the gray light of early
dawn was lighting up the world, he
awOke. Confused by the light after
his long sleep, although unaware that
more than one night had gone by
during his rest, he stumbled about in
uncertainty for few minutes, until,
ascending a small hillock, he cast his
eyes about and there beheld his own
home within few minutes walk In
the darkness he had become confused,
and, instead of going forward, had
constantly crossed his own track,
finally lying down within a stones
throw Of his own fireside.
We can easily imagine with what
eager haste he crossed the dividing
space, for in his lonely condition the
sight Of 3 familiar face seemed an
oasis in the desert Of life, And great
was his surprise at his wife and chill
dren greeting him as one returned
from the grave, for his pr0traeted stay
had made them fear that the lightning
had struck him in his lonely path,
and search had been at once insti-
tuted. but without any result, as they
had not thought to search the adjacent
eOrnfield. All hope was. departing
from them when he retur ned.