The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1876-02-29

withstanding the fact that about three
o'clock the next morning the snow be
gsti to fall.s 4 never ssW II snow fastet,
for by daylight the ground was covered
more than five inches dssfH md zwez haii
not fountt the child. Weskept 40 the
search, and before noonsnDfS than fifty
persons were engaged in it; but we
found notrace OF him, and at last it was
reluctantly given up Then 1 knew that
| mnst return 20 my homesnlone, and tell
my wife the truth.s'ai y1sV ssw ,ss7na tts
What passed after I reached the house
LIDO not know, for the next two days are
but as hideous.dreams.. Ionly remem
her that my wife met me at the door
nd said to me, "If you bad only told
II che worst, 4 would haseltried to = De
strong for your sake, my deaf; husband =
and then-well, sir, I knew nothing
more for forty-eight hours. When I
awoke to consciousness I rose from th 9
bed, partially dressed myself and went
out and stood sbeneath the leaden. gray
November sky and when ! felt the win
try wind, and saw the ground white With
snow. and realized that it was the wind
ing-sheet of our darling boy, / felt that
l could almost follow the advice Of Jobs
wife, "Curse God and die.' sflf fE if1''
Standing 10 the yard I noticed that a
large flock of crows had gathered 10 the
| field yonder, nearly half mile from the
house watched them for some time
without seeming to heed them I saw
them flying swiftly athwart the heavens,
lIjostling each other in their haste; then,
when they appeared to have reached one
particular spot. they would soar high in
the air for an instant and swoop down,
almost touching the ground, to rise once
more, mounting higher and higher in a
circle. until, flying over nv head, they
would again dart back to the iield, all
the time u,tering their harsh cries, which
seemed to bid me SEARCH" 'ecsi@ad Ia
So strongly did become impressed
with this ides, that I started toward the
place, bareheaded and half.clothed as
was, and so weak that I could hardly
stand s9Ses 1isH3 e. aE91f rti s2as ( 4
1t was lorg time before I reached
the spot over which the crows we're how
iering; but as / approached it saw by
the side Of q dry, withered stalk, crouch
ed as though for protection from the
rude blast, arabbit. Imagine my feel.
|ings when l recognized it as our darling
boys pet, nearly dead from hunger and
cold The instant / ssw it I knew that
| had found our boy-that Benny was
there. / lifted the half-froxen creature
carefully to one side, and. kneeling, qui.
city removed the cold snow from the
body of our darling I remember TAX
ing him 10 my arms and kissing his cold
lips; but how / reached hehouse can't
tell; IIonly kno that laid him on his
mothers lap, and that she looked up in
my face with sweet smile, and said I:
81 have sheen waiting so long for you
10 bring dear Benny back 10 me, Paul.
/ When again returned to conscious
ness Benny hadsbeen buried two weeks,
and / was told that the physicians said
be had undoubtedly dropped dead from
aneurism OF the heart Hi Had it not been
for those crows, sir, his littleibody would
hare lain upon the cold ground, unbu.
ried, until springa issfa a'sasi 9 llse
Now, sir, you know Why L din't want
the crows shot. Tdon't often speax Of
this, our great sorrow; but l feel that an
apology was due you for the unceremo-
Nous manner in which / interrupted
your shot, and perhaps there was some
thing 10 your face that'told me that you
would understand the motive that
prompted me in spelling your anticipa-
ted sport. And now, with your .permis.
sion, we will return to the other room
Ny wife will be glad, to talk with you.
for it is not often that We see gentlemen
from the east so far west as this, - !,
thanked my host for his story, and
assured him that ever after would re-.
spect crows for his sake; nor have I kill
ed one since. y4e.s "a "a f....se,s,f &, - firt
We returned to the sitting room, and
| spent . delightful evening in converse
ton with my charming hostess and her
husband !; and the next morning, after
partaking OF a delicious breakfast, bade
my new friends good-by, and returned
to my boarding house, quite. satisfied to
60 back empty. handed. ! have often,
since that time, had the pleasure OF Wis
|iting Mr.. Milmore aud his wife at their
charming Iowa home; but the subject OF
crows we have never mentioned since
my first Introduction.