River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1878-06-20

young lacy had left about, and also on
several ARTICLES pertaining TO her little
mamma; but neither of the individuals
mentioned was there to claim her property
and Mrs. leighton, coming to the door,
ealle1:
"PollyF Polly Where is the child9
Kate, have you seen Polly2"
"No, Hclen; not since dinner. thought
she was with you"
The mothers face began to wear a
look of alarm, for she knew the loneli-
ness of the long country roads. The
house anG grounds were searched; but
gave no s5gn of the sunny-faced child.
The sun sank lower in the west, and the
faces of the family grew more and more
anxious.
1--WE must start out and look for her, "
said grandpa. "She cannot have strayed
very far.
So the old horse was harnessed again,
and grandpa, with mamma, ataIted off on
the searca Two miles in one direction
and hopelessly Then mamma, with a
face growing rapidly palCr, said: "She
cannot have gone further in this direction,
either. Let US turn back and take the
NORTH rossln
By this time the sun was just saying his
final goodnight to this part of the earth
and grandpa drove fast and said little. A
whole mile up the north road and no
sign of sthe childl Suddenly mamma,
whose wsstful eyes were eagerly scanning
both sides OF the road, cried out: ''Stopl
father ! see something clinging to the
fencel Tet me get OUTS Trembling with
eagerness, she fastened toward some
thing caught on the rough fence. 1t was
bit of pink calico, and, turning bright
ly around, she exclaimed: It's piece
of the dsrling's apron, father. know it.
She must be Hear-perhaps IN some OF
these fields"
True" said grandpa You go one
way, and III go the other"
So they separated, and mamma walk
ed quickly away through tue deepening
shadows over hill, down again into
valley, falling over stones and into bri
ers, but at last coming suddenly upon a
picture fairer than anything an artist
could paint.
A child asleep in the little hollow.
One hand holding bunch OF w;thcred
dandeliGns and dropping buttercups, and
the other grasping painfully wide
awake dolly. The straw hat had fallen
of, the curls were pushed away from
the sweet face, and undried tear still lay
on the flushed cheek.
" My sprecious baby!" erica mamma,
as she clasped her treasure and spoiled
the picture. "Where has my Polly
beehg"
The child's blue eyes opened wide, and
a little guivering voice replied:
30 mamma, see place where | can
step right into heaven, an me an Z'rusha
was goi8g to take the towers to papa;
bur 1'msso velly tired, an heaven keeps
a-gbin' way off, so / can't reach the stairs.
Went YOU go, too, mammal"
Mamma was laughing and crying all
at ence, as she replied:
"PoIly and Mamma will go to heaven
sometime, hope. Only Polly must
wait, and not leave mamma behind.
Will she9"
The blue eyes where heavy with sleep,
anil closed again, as she answered:
"Yes, Iaamma, I'll wait, if you'll-prom
Use to-ahelp me- up-the stairs-if the
an9el-fordets to come"
So grandpa and mamma carried home
tbs dear little sleeping burden. And
mamma, putting her into grandma's
arms, said, smiling:
Smother, she had started for heaven !;
but the dear Lord was kind to me and
wcuId hot let her in !''-1he INDEPENDENT.