Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1875-07-27

RtValinE the story OF the BABES In the
Wood----Ths Experience ora Child that
went To Gather May Appies---Five days
Lost in the Depths of Pennsylvania
Forest

Sixteen miles from the mountain ham.
let oI Lach lwaX 30, over a rough and
tough forest road. i, the little settlement
of Blooming Grove. Three miles fur.
ther is another and nameless ncighbor.
hood that lies like a beautiful picture in
the centre oi limtlcss forest, and
guarded 10y lofty. symetrically rounded
mountains. 4 half mile from the beaten
track al the turnpike and on the edge
ol The idmed Blooming Grove Hunting
Pmk, is the little log cabin of Charles
During. Mr. DurIing's house is on the
base line of "a gloomy divide OF the hills,
and three or four cabins, similar to his
own, complete the settlement. On every
side, rs lar rs the horizon. is the unbrok-
EN- expanse OF the wilderness. and the
black pine and heml0ck woods glover
ABOVE his very door sill. About half
past three on the afternoon of June eth,
MI. Dur!.lng's eight children were play
Ing about the dooryard and in the barn
a few rods from the house. The eldest
oi the number proposed that they 90
hunting for May apples, which grow wild
in the swamps at this season of the year.
Fonr OF the little ones, John, Lima.
Louisa and Herman, started up steep
path that leads up to the mountains, and
all were soon eagerly at work in gather
ing the apples. The elders became so
interested in their sport that they forgot
to look out for their little brother Her.
man. who. attracted by the unusual lrec-
dom that was given him, gradually
wandered away from the party. He fol-
lowed the little brushlined track that leads
into broad. open cart road, about one
blooming with rhododendrons. the sail
Cr's cap. and other beautiful woodland
flowers, begulled the little fellow on, aud
he went deeper and deeper into the heart
OF tie forest, picking wild strawberries
and the fruit OF the swamp apple tree as
be went. he was not missed by his
companions under half an hour or more.
until, tired with their play, they set out
tor their home. and then they thought
that he had gone back alone. At the
house they asked their mother II Herman
had come home. aud when she told them
that he had not. they began to cry, and
said that he must be lost In the woods.
The whole family set off to find the
little fellow, hut after searching about
the edge OF the woods in vain. they start.
ed for neighbours. at whose house Mr..
Darling was making a call. In twenty
minutes alter the disappearance OF the
boy Mr.. Durlling was upon the trail, with
his children and immediate neighbors,
with their wives and children. All The
afternoon they hunted, calling again and
again the name OF the little wanderer 10
vain Al nightIall the whole neighbOr
hood had been alarmed, and fifteen Or
twenty men. women and children with
lanterns and torches searched all the
copses of the forest until three O'Clock The
next morning Again and again they
shouted to the little castaway, calling
him by name, but only the cries of night
binds, the voices OF wild animals. and
the means OF the swaying pines gave
back an answer. The next day dawued
gray and chilly. but saw an unusual
sight in the neighborhood. The news OF
the loss OF the little child had spread Tor
miles around, and forty or fifty persons
were scattered about the yard of Mr.
DuIiling at the break OF day. AT
Blooming Grove, three miles below. the
large tanneries were stopped. the farm
ers flocked in from Tod's valley and from
the Knob" and the whole country Tor
miles wore the quiet appearance OF a
Sabbath. All joined in the search
through Tuesday, marching forty abreast
threading every woody isle, and securing
every defie aud nook.
At night the last hope OF finding the
boy alive WAS given up, but still the
Continued on Fourth Page