The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1878-08-14
was about six miles from

y
than other people-not so much SO per
haps, 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 mystery into safe quarters. Just here
was about the darkest bit OF road in all
the route. Mounting my horse, | 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!' said, undecided
what to do. As sat another moment
listening, I once more heard the cry
fainter and more faint. I threw myself
of nv horse, with an exclamation.
s'Be it ghost or be It robber, Anthony
Hunt is not one to abandon child to Gle
without trying to save it.
But how was to save its-how find
it2 The more searched about the less
could my hands light on anything, save
the sloppy earth. The voice had quite
ceased now, so had no guide from that.
While stood trying to peer into the
darkness, all my ears alert, a flood of
sheet lightning suddenly illuminated the
plain. At little distance. just beyond a
kind of ridge or gentle hill, l caught a
glimse of something white. 1t was dark
again in moment, but made my way
with unerring instinct. Sure enough,
there lay a poor little child. Whether
boy or girl could not tell. It seemed
to be three parts insensible now, as took
it up, dripping with wet, from the sloppy
earth. ....... ..lt..
"My poor little tbingp' I said as I
hushed it to me. swell go and find
nanny. 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
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, I thought, to guide me home in
safety through the darkness. But pres
emily I knew that something must be the
matter, for the very few neighbors we
had were gathered there. My heart stood
still with fear. I thought of some calam-
ity to one or other Of the children. I
had saved little one from perishing, but
what might not have happened TO my
own. E's
Hardly daring to lift the latch, while
my poor tired horse stood still and mute
outside, went slowly in, the child in my
arms covered over with the flap of my
long coat. My wife was weeping bitter
ly.
"What's amiss?" I asked in faint
voice. And it seemed that a whole
chorus of voices answered me:
"Dolly's lost!"
'Dolly lost!" Just for moment my
heart turned sick. Then some instinct,
like 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!
eyes, sir. The child I had saved was
no other than my own-1ny little Dolly.
And knew that Gods good angels had
guided me to save her, and that the first
flash of the summer lightning had shone
just at the right moment to show me
where she lay. It was her white sun
! bonnet that had caught my eye. MY
darling it was, and none other, that had
picked up on the drenched road.
Dolly, anxious for her doll, had wan
dered out unseen to meet me in the after
noon. For some hours she was not
missed. It CHANGED that my two eldest
girls had gone over to our nearest neigh
boris, and my wife, missing the child
just afterward, took it for granted she was
with them
The little one had gone on and on, until
night and the storm overlook her, when
she fell down frightened and utterly ex-
hausted. I thanked Heaven aloud before
them all, sir, as I said that none but God
and His holy angels had guided me 10
her. It's not much of a story to listen to,
sir. am aware OF that But I often
think of it in the long nights, lying
awake; and I ask myself how I could
bear to live on now, had I run away from
the poor little cry in the road, hardly
louder than asquirrel's chirp, and left my
child to die. -". s.
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 that night ten years
ago. She is girl that is worth saving,
sir, though say it; and God knows that
as long as my life lasts I shall be thank
full that came on home that night in
stead of staving in the town.-Erchange