The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1878-11-07
LITERARY
THE LOST CHILD.

01gnL. IL was UdWu again, anu ne muSl
20 home without him-without his little
child-his treasure-his most precious
thing on earth. He must 60 home and
tell it's mother that the boy was no.
found. He would never be found now,
the man felt sure of that
Ali his life he had dreaded this--all
the little life of the baby boy. He had
been like man who wandered amongst
thieves with a diamond IN his possession
in full sight of all eyes. 1t seemed to
him that some one must rob him Of it.
All the old stories of gipsies who stole
children had troubled him sorely; and
his heart had ached over the pitiful tale
of the little chimney sweeper who, more
than hundred year ago, while playing his
trade, came down the chimney of the
nursery from which he had been stolen
when timer fellow still, and recognize
ing it and his mother, was restored to
love and bone at last.
Often in the night had the thought so
overcome him that he had stolen from
his bed in the darkness to feel the little
head of his sleeping boy on the pillow OF
his crib. Even his wife, the child's moth
Cl1 WIZ hdd lCNCd HlAl WOOlu nave
laughed at his fancies. So he kept them
to himself. Only once-once he was
forced to tell he. That was when be
tattooed the child's foot.
Right on the instep he had marked il
with little blue w. 1t was painful
every prick hurt him worse than it did
the boy. And the mother, coming home
had been angry and grleved, and then be
old her:
II the child was stolen, he should know
him, though his face were altere though
he forgot his name and US. That is why
l did it,"
And she had said:
"People have children enough of their
own. Children are only valuable to their
parents. You are SO romantic so fool.
ish!"
Now it had come. The foolish fear was
realized. Lost or stolen the boy was
gone, and that tattOoed mark was the
only thing that comtorted him. Alive OF
dead, hey should know him-now, or af.
ter long years, for those marks were indel.
ible, and no one else would mark his foot
with that tiny w and the timer cross thai
followed.
Alive or dead could the boy be dead
He cast up his hands in his agony and
uttered cry that rang through the sleep.
ing street. People turned in their beds
and said to themselves that there mus,
be fight or that some drunken man was
making night hideous. Some early risers
ended their sleep then and there, for nc
one knew why the man cried out, or who
he was, or where he went, save the soil
tary policeman, who gave him a grave
ealute as he passed. Neither asked the
other, "have you found the child" They
knew the question was useless.
But at home, whore the lights had
burned all night, the mother, who paced
to and fro, asked it, though she knew the
answer would be No"
"You have not searched everywhere. ,
she said. You have forgotten some place
some ones house where he NAV have
gone. Go out again-go. l will go also
You told me you would bring HIM back
or would not have been left at home
The man turned on his very threshold.
IL thought he might be here" he said
''and l wanted to tell you-the tattoo
mark. we shall be sure"
Then he fell forward on his face For
twenty four hours be had not tasted food
but only his iaintness told him that he
was hungry.
Then the mother remembered that she
was also wife. The wretched people
ate and drank-stones and sea-water
for auehs they knew; but they needed
strength. For days they looked for their
child in every direction. The river was
dragged. the hospitals, even the prisons
searched
They spent their small means in sdver-
Using. They posted notices of their loss
on the walls. All in vain.
After Others knew that they followed
forlorn hope, they still rursued it as
earnestly as ever. And so the weeks
rolled by, the months faded, the years
followed. Theirs was hard case. II
death mad taken the boy il would have
been tar easier TO bear; but they did not
believe him dead, and where was hei
In whose handsf Had he mourned for
them and for Lomei Had he been IL
used = besteni They know. nothing. and
the sus ,Jense wore then lives away. II
was an Old story to Others very soon; i,
was always terribly new to them. At
any moment il seemed to them thar the
door might open and their child enter,