, 1877-10-12

a II AZ ONCE, us hONlt w, % VI 'N''N'~>,
me; faint, ling sound like the cry
Of a child Refining up, sat still and
listened Had | been mistaken! NO,
there it was again. But in what dlrec-
ton could not tell. I couldn't see a
thug. 1t was, as | have said, AS dark as
pitch Getting off my horse, | felt about,
but could find nothing. And while was
seeking the cry came ag4in-the faint
moan OF child in pain. Then began
20 wonder am not superstitious, but
asked yscIf how it was possible that
A child could be out on the cprarie at such
An hour and in such a night. No; real
child it could not be.
Upon that came another thought-one
less welcome Was it trap to hinder me
on my way and ensnare mel There might
be midnightrobbe who would easily hear
of my almost certain ride home that
night, and of the money | should have
about me.
don't think, sir, am more timid than
other people; not so much so, perhaps,
as some; but | confess the idea made me
uneasy. My best plan was to ride on as
fast as could, and get out of the mys-
terry into safe quarters. Just here was
about the darkest bit of road in all the
route Mounting my horse l was about
to urge him on, when the cry came again.
1t did sound like child's; the plaintive
wall of child nearly exhausted.
"God guide me!'I said, undecided what
TO do. Aud as I sat another moment lis
tening, once more heard the cry, fainter
and more faint. | threw myself off my
horse with an exclamation.
"Be it ghost or be it robber, An
thony Hunt is not one to abandon child
Ito die without trying to save it,"
But how was to save itG-how find it1
The more / searched about the less
could my hands light on any thing, save
the sloppy earth, The voice had quite
ceased now, so had no guide from that.
While l stood trying to peer into the
darkness, all my ears alert,a food of sheet
lightning suddenly ilumined the plain.
Alta little distance, just behind kind OF
ridge or gentle hill, l caught glimpse
of something white. 1t was dark again
in moment, bat I made my way with
unerring instinct. Sure enough, there
lay poor little child. Whether boy or
girl could not tell. 1t seemed to be
three parts insensible now, as took it
up, dripping with wet from the sloppy
earth.
"My poor little thing" said, as !
hushed it to me, swell go and find mann
my. You are safe now" @
And in answer, the child just put out
its feeble hand, moaned once, and nestled
close to me.
With the child hushed to my breast l
rode on. Its perfect silence soon showed
me that it slept. And, sir, thanked God
that He had let me save it, and / thought
how grateful some poor mother would be !
But was full of wonder for all that,
wondering what extraordinary fate had
taken any young child to that solitary
spot.
Getting in sight of home, saw all the
windows alight. Deborah had done it for
me, thought, to guide me home in
safety through the darkness. But pres
emily knew that something must be the
matter, for the very few neighbors we
had were gathered there. My heart stood
SILL with fear. thought of some ca
lamity to one or other of the children. |
had saved like one from perishing, but
what might not have happened to my own.
Hardly daring to lift the latch while
my poor tired horse stood still and mute
outside, I went slowly in, the child in my
arms covered with the flap of my long
coat. My wife was weeping bitterly.
What's amiss9" asked in faint voice.
And it seemed that a whole chorus Of
voices answered me:
"Dolly's lostP'
Dolly lost Just for moment my
heart turned sick. Then some instinct,
like a ray of light and hope, seized upon
me. Pulling the coat off the face of the
child / held, lifted the little sleeping
thing to the light and saw Dolly!
ayes, sir. The child had saved was
no other than my own--my little Dolly.
And knew that Gods good angels had
guided me 20 save her, aud that the first
flash Of the summer lightning had shone
just At the right moment 10 show me where
she lay. Il was her white sun-bcanet that
had caught my eye. My darling il was,
And none other, tha, ] had picked up cn
tie drenched rad
Dolly, Anri0us for her doll, bad van
defed out uaseen % meet me Va the after
nooo. For some hours she vas not missed.
II caaaced that my two elder girls bad
Roae over ~ our nearest nsigbbors, aud
ny wife. Hiss.sg the child jast sfteruard,
took u fsr gfaBted shs Was With them
Tie litsle oae haa co1ne On Dad on. aniii
nlEli kad she storm 0rtrtnok her, vhru
~ fe dowu frightened and utterly tH-
hkustrf ] thtakel heaven aloui bciatu
thgm ST. s',. o. said ttai hone but God
Aat t.s ts.y angels bal gai3sa me g. her
lfs art m4Tb a s'Hg ~ itftGu to. sir
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ast uFseif hrv osuid bru to lice an
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