Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-06-28

Please, grandpa tell us story about
when YOU was a little boy"
90, il yon would" exclaimed the other
children.
Well said grandpa, " let Hattie climb
upon my knee aud the rest Of yon sit down
ON the grass whore YOU can look towards the
river and ! will tell you how my little sister
Lucy was lost, when she was four years old,
just llatiic's age, and was the age Of lIor-
ace, here.
1t was in hayug time. and father and
his men were very busy in that meadow YOU
see down 10y the river. John Bangs, another
boy about my age and myself wer' helping.
when Lucy came to us and told us that
mother said 1t was time To- go after the COWS.
Lucy liked 10 come down 10 the meadow.
and as 10 was in sight Of the house. mother
often used 30 send her, aud she would 20
back with father when he left his work.
Away up on the mountain side across
the river, father had chosen q favorable spot
and cleared piece OF land, which he had
made into a pasture. Here the cows were
kept at this time OF the year, and John and
| started to bring them home. We had to
cross the river on foot bridge only the
width of one plank, and then climb the
mountain 10y path through the woods
We had gone some distance, when we heard
something behind MS, and looking back, we
saw Lucy hurrying along TO 90 with us, in
stead of staying with father as we had
supposed
I" We stopped little while to consider
what should be done II was nearly night,
aud it we went back with her, it might be
too dark 10y the time we should return TO the
pasture to hnd the cattle. On the other
hand We did not dare to send her back
alone, for fear she would fall from the mar
row bridge, although she must have crossed
il when She followed us. So We concluded
the better way would be 10 take her with
us, Notwithstanding she would bee quite
hndrance. This delay made it rather late
when we reached the pasture. and then we
discovered that the fence had been broken,
and the COWS were not TO be seen.
Here was a new difficulty, and we were
| puzzled to know what to do with Lucy. We
/ finally left her sitting by large tree, and
| charging her not TO Stir till we came back,
we took turn through the woods, John in
one direction and in another, hoping to
fnd the COWS before it grew too dark TO see
them We made our round and came back
to the startingplace, but Lucy had disap-
peared We searched in every direction,
and called her name over and over, very
ready too dark to see much.
We soon concluded that she must have
started towards home, and we took the path,
searching and calling as we hurried along,
/ but found no trace of the missing girl. We
/ reached home and she was not there. Great
was the excitement when we told our story,
and as soon as possible all who were fit for
the work started out with lanterns and
torches TO renew the search, while some OF
/ the younger children went to alarm the
neighbors. All through the ncighborhood
the story spread and all hearts were stirred.
Before morning n hundred men were search
ing the mountain for the lost child"
Grandpa paused, and sat for few mo.
ment's lost in thought, while the children
waited breathlessly for the story TO be fin
ished. At length Robbies curiosity could
be restrainedno longer, and he asked, " What
are you thinking Of, grandpa ~
| was thinking that many of those men
had children of their own whom they loved
better but they left them to search for little
Lucy, because their dear ones were safe at
home while this little lamb was lost on the
dark mountain. A thousand times have
been reminded of the Shepherd who left the
ninety and nine aud went out to seek the
one sheep that had gone astray. For the
Son of Man is come to seek and to save that
which was lost. ="
Again he paused for moment, and then
went on All night long they searched, but
by some means they all missed the place
where the child was. She had grown tired
Of waiting for the boys, and started to go
home, but had strayed off, she never could
tell where When she became tired ont she
lay down and slept till daylight awakened
her. Then she started again. aud found her
way TO the river, where her steps could be
traced along the shore to the only place for
miles where she could have gone through
without being swept away, and there she
crossed and made her way to the nearest
house. She was Immediately carried home,
and | shall never forget mothers look as her
child was once more placed in her arms.
She fed the hungry wanderer, and when she
was overcome with sleep, mother sat gazing
into her face, as though She could never let
her 60 out of her sight again.
" In the meantime the guns had been fired,
thus giving the signal I'm had been agreed
upon in case of success and the men began
to troop down from the mountain and gather
at the house where the rescued child lay
sleeping. They could not be satisfied with
out seeing the object of their efforts and so
father took her up, carried her into the front
yard and climbing up on something held
her so that all could see her very plainly.
" remember well with what joyful
shout that company of men made the air
ring, when they saw the child that had been
lost and was found. Likewise, say unto
you, there is joy in the presence Of the angels
Is.f tl -. a..