The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-03-30

promptly started in search of him. They
called to make inquiry of Aunt Naomi
Sey bold, and she went on with them to
the Widow Hainline's, repeating to them
as she walked along her story Of the day
before. The widow could give them no
additional information; indeed, the whole
of It was an astonishment and shock to
her, she said, and she questioned them
very eagerly about it. while Benny listen,
ed with an indefinite dread and wished
they would go on and look for him before
night came. They started directly, down
the road to the river. Benny went with
them, upon his own suggestion, to point
out the places where he had been with
Perky; and as be glanced back from the
familiar old leaning beech half way down
the hill, he saw that his mother and Aunt
Naomi were following closely after them:
They found him Just where Benny had
fancied they would find him. 1t was
hardly stones thrown from the road
and the ford, but such quiet, soothing,
winsome little nook that it might have
been fragment of some other world. DE
was lying upon the grass, with his arms
under Lis head, and his feet hidden from
sight by the fallen leaves. He could 81
most have reached the river with bis
hand, but the murmuring oft there IN
the bend among the bewilderlng roots and
stones was so soft and SO uncertain that 1t
seemed only an echo. A cluster OF haw.
bushes, bending beneath an overplus OF
fading and shriveling woodbine, shut OF
the vision on the south, as the river-bank
did on the west and the north; but on the
east, up the steep bluff beyond the mass
i've decaying tree-truuk that lay in the
edge of the thicket of bazels like some
great broken hearted giaAt, was the little
arbor in the rear of the Widow Hahn
lines house, where the honeysuckles
grew, and where the widow often sat IN
the cool of the late afternoon with her
sewing. When they reused him, Perky
turned his eyes in that direction mo-
ment, then closed them again, and said
as if In reverie, IL must have been dream
ing"
They stood waiting around for some
minutes in an undecided way and then
the editor gently raised him to sitting
posture, and,he tried to smile as he looked
from one to another of them and said,
"Go on with your picnic; don't mind me"
No one spoke when he sunk down again
upon the grass aud leaves; but Aunt
Naomi Seybold took of her shaw and
made pillow Of it for him, and buttoned
his open coat over his breast, for it was
nearly sundown, and there was chill IN
the air from off the river. He appeared
To be sleeping, the Widow Halnline
thought, as she leaned forward and gaI-
ed intently upon him out of the. shadow
of the maple just back of where his head
lay; and Benny knew she must be very,
very pale, she trenlbled so as he felt her
put an arm around him and press him to
her side.
The setting sun flooded the crisped and
stained foliage with transient ecstasy OF
October gold and crimson as Perky start
ed a little and sat upright again aid said
he wished Benny would hurry back, Tor
it was growing dark. The widow walk
ed rapidly around in front OF him where
the rest were and knelt close to him and
took his hand in hers. Julia, darling
he muttered, with q harsh laugh that
WAS half moan, and fell back as OF al
his strength had suddenly failed him.
How she stopped and kissed him-on the
lips, on the eyes, on the forehead and
rising to her feet, met the questioning
stares of those about her with look that
would have been terrible but for the
aoounding tenderness there was in it, as
she exclaimed;
Twas once his wife, God help himI,,
Then he's my father, isn't he MAN.
maj" cried Benny, "and we'll take him
home"
When they turned to SEQ what she
meant, she was covering MS cold, still
face with her handkerchief.