South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1877-11-02

God guide me, i said. undecided
what to do And as i sat another mo-
ment listening, l once more heard the
cry. fainter and more faint. threw
myself of the horse with an exclama.
ton.
''Be it ghost or be it robbcr, An.
thony Hunt is not one TO abandon n
child to die, without trying to save it,"
But how was / to save ii? How find
IL? The more searched about the less
could my hands alight on anything 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. my ears alert. a flood Of sheet
lightning suddenly illuminated the
plain. At a little distance. just beyond
kind of ridge or gentle hill, l caught
a glimpse of something white. 1t was
dark again in n moment. but 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 thingr' 1 said as
hushed it to me- well 90 and find
mamms. You are all safe now"
| And in answer. the child just put out
its feeble hand moaned once and nes-
tied close TO me.
With the child hushcd to my breast /
rode on. Its perfect silence soon show.
ed me that it slept. And, sir, / thank
ed God that he had let me save it, and
L thought how grateful some poor moth.
er would be. But i was full of wonder
/ for all that, wondering what extraordi
nary fate had taken any young child to
that solitary spot.
Getting III sight of home l saw all the
windows alight: Deborah had done il
for me, thought to guide me home in
safety through the darkness. But pres
emily l knew something must be the
matter, for the very few neighbors we
had we're collected there. My heart
stood still with fear. / thought of some
calamity to one or the other Of the chill
dren. | had saved little one from
perishing, but what might have happen
ed to my own?
Hardly daring TO lift the latch. while
my poor tired horse stood still and mute
outside, went slowly in, with the child
in my arms covered with the flap of my
long coat. My wife was weeping Bit
i-t te!ll
What's amiss??-' asked in ffaini
voice. And it seemed that whole
chorus Of voices answered me.
"Dolly's lost!" Just for moment
my heart turned sick. Then an instinct
like a ray of light and hope seized upon
me. Pulling the coat Off The face of the
child held, | lifted the little sleeper &c
the light, and saw DolIyl
Yes, sir. The child had saved was
no other than my own-my little Dol
ly. And | know that Gods good an
gels had guided me to save her, and tina
the first flash of the summer lightning
had shone just ut the right moment tc
show me where she lay. 1t was heI
white sunbonnet that had caught my
eye. My darling it was, and none 9th
er that had picked up on the drencheC
road
Dolly. anxious for her doll, had wan
dered out unseen TO meet me in the af.
ternoon. For some hours she was no
missed. 1T CHANGED that cur two elder
girls had gone over to our nearer neigh
bors, and my wife, missing the child
just afterward. took il for granted she
was with them. The little one haC
gone on and on. until night, and the
storm overlook her, when she fell down
!, utterly exhausted. ] thanked HEAVIER
aloud before them. sir; as | said thai
none but God and his holy angels haC
guided me TO her. It's not much Of ,
story 20 listen to, sir; am aware o
that. But | often think Of il in tn,
long nights. lying awake, and ask my
self how ] could bear to live on nov
had | run away from the poor little CT,
in the road, hardly louder than n suuir-
rel's chirp. and left my child TO die.
Yes. sir; you are right that's Dolly
out yonder with her mother. picking
fruit; the little trim figure in pink
, with just the same sort Of white sun.
. bonnet on her head that she wore ter
, years ago. She is a girl that was wor:I
saving, sir, though [ say It; and Coo
knows that as long rs my life lasts
shall he thankful that ! came on HON,
that night, instead Of staying in The
, town.
I