River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1878-08-15
Saved by a Fish Of lightning.

| There was not house within sight tor
miles. Even now we have not MANY
neighbors; but those we have are down
right good ones. To appreciate your
neighbors as you ought, sir, you must
live in these lonely places, 50 far removed
from the haunts of man.
What am about to tell of happened
ten years ago. was going to the distant
town. or settlement, to sell some fifty
head of cattle ---fine creatures, sir, as ever
you saw. This journey was more rare
event with me than II is now; and my
wife had always plenty of commissions
| to charge me with in the shape of dry
I goods and groceries, and such like things.
/ Our youngest child was a sweet little
| gentle thing, who had been named after
| her Aun. Dorothy. We called the child
| Dolly. This time my commission includ-
ed one for her----a doll. She had never
had real doll; that is, bought doll,
only the rag bundles her mother made
for her. For some days before my de-
pariure the child could talk Of nothing
else----or we, either, for the matter of that
for she was a great pet, the darling of
US all. Il was TO be a big, big doll; with
| golden hair and blue eyes. shall never
forget the child's words the morning was
starting, as she ran after me TO the gate,
or the pretty picture she made. There
are some children sweeter and prettier
than others, sir, as you can't but have no.
ticed, aud Dolly was one.
"a very great big doll, please, daddy"
she called out after me; "and please
bring it very soon."
/ turned to nod ''yes7 to her as she
stood in her clean Whitley brown pinafore
against the gate, her nut-brown hair tall,
ing in curls about her neck and the light
breeze stirring them.
"a brave doll" / answered, "for my
little one-almost as big as Dolly
NOBODY would believe, dare say, how
full my thoughts were Of that promised
doll. as l rode along, or what nice one
| meant to buy. TWAS not often | spent
money in what my good, thrifty wife
would call waste; but Dolly was Dolly
and / meant to do it now.
The cattle sold, / went about my pur-
chases, and soon had no end OF parcels to
be packed in the saddle bags. Tea, SUI
| gar, rice, candles-but | need not weary
you, sir, with telling of them, together
with the calico for shirts and nightgowns
and the delaine for the children's new
frocks. Last of all, went about the doll
and found a beauty. 1t was not as big
as Dolly, or half as big; but it had fiaxen
curls and sky-blue eyes; and by dint OF
pulling wire you could open or shut
the eyes at will.
do it up carefully" / said to the
storekeeDer. my little daughter would
cry sadly if any harm comes to it."
The day was pretty well ended before
all my work was done; and, just for q
moment or two, | hesitated whether l
should not stay in the town and start for
home in the morning. 1t would have
been the more prudent course. But
thought of poor Dollys anxiety to get
her treasure, and of my own happiness
in watching the rapture IN her deli hted
eyes. So with my parcels packed in the
best way they could be, l mounted my
| horse and started. 1t was as good and
steady horse as you ever rode, sir; but
night began to set in before | Was well
mile away from the town; il seemed as
If it were going to be an ugly night, too
Again the thought struck me should |
turn back and wait till morning? ] had
the price of the cattle, you see, sir, in
my breast pocket; and robberies, sir.
ave, and murders, also were not quite
unknown things on the prairie. But
had my brace of sure pistols with me,
ard decided to press onward.
The night came on as dark as pitch,
and part Of the way my road would be
| pitch dark beside. But on that score
had no fear; ] knew the road well, every
| inch of it, thou h could not ride so
| fast as | should have done in the light.
IL was about six miles from
one less welcome: Was it trap to hin
| der me on my way and ensnare me
/ There might be n might robbers 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 ii aid
| than other people-not SO much so per-
| haps, as some; but I 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
plain iiNG wall VI Iil1td CA8A1NAoNIa-
"God guide mel | said, undecided
what to do. AS | sat another moment
| listening, I once more heard the cry
| fainter and more faint. / threw myself
off my horse, with an exclamation.
'-Be it ghost or be 1t robber, Anthony
Hunt is not one TO abandon a child to Gle
without trying to save it.
But how was I 10 save itl-how find
it? The more / searched about the less
could my hands light ON anything, save
the sloppy earth. The voice had quite
&C 4sed now, so had no guide from that.
While l stood trying to peer into the
darkness, all my ears alert q flood of
sheet lightning suddenly illuminated the
plain. At a little distance, Just beyond a
kind of ridge or gentle hill, caught a
glimsc Of something white. 1t was dark
again in a moment, but made my way
with unerring instinct. Sure enough,
there Law a poor little child Whether
boy or girl I could not tell. II seemed
to be three parts insensible now as took
it up, dripping with wet, from the sloppy
earth.
"My poor. little thing" l said as
hushed il to me. We'll 90 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 It's perfect silence soon showed
me that it slept. And,sir, | thanked God
that he had let me save If, and / thought
how grateful some poor mother would bel
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 homo 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. Ny heart stood
still with fear. I thought of some calam-
itu ~ opa mr. nfbap IF fha children /