Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1883-03-29
Baby Belle.

One day Grandma Dover told grandpa
to go over to their daughters house and
borrow Baby Belle.
1t was quite custom Of hers, and the
child was always sent at once.
Grandpa found his daughter well, and
took lunch with her, and made the usual
joke about borrowing Belle; and the
four-year old child was wrapped up in a
shawl, which her mother tied under her
arms and about her waist, to insure her
being kept warm.
At first she sat beside grandpa, but
after awhile she asked to sit on the back
seat. Grandpa was little provoked at
this, but gave her her way. and, TO pun
iSh her, never looked round again.
Ae drove past the lake, and through
the woods, up the long road, speaking
now and then to neighbor, and stopped
at the home-gate at twilight.
Grandma came running out at once.
"Wheres BELIEF" she asks. as she
ill? Why didn't they let her Gomez"
why they did. Here she is" said
grandpa, and turned about.
The gig was empty; no Baby Belle
was there.
.'She has jumped ont to hide for fun, "
said grandpa. Here. Belle, Belle, Belle T.
But there was no answer.
The child could scarcely have climbed
out without assistance; but they search
ed the garden and the house, in which
she might have hidden herself, though
she never played such a joke before.
Grandpa being questioned, admitted
that Belle had offended him, and that he
had not spoken to her all the way home,
to punish her, and repented in dust and
ashes; but that did not tell them where
Baby Belle was to be found.
The CONSERVATION of the household
was terrible.
Every one went out.
The road was searched inch by inch,
back to the very gate of Bellies home,
and no trace of her could be found.
Every one who lived along the road
had been spoken to, and there seemed to
be an awful mystery about her disap-
pearance.
The most terrible idea occurred to the
old gentleman.
She had fallen into the lake which he
had passed. as we have said, and his fit
of temper had been the death of his
darling.
And now the parents were aroused,
and the awful story told to them.
Look through the wood once more,
said the poor father, choking with grief.
at is no use," said grandpa, throw
ing up his hands; no use at allF'
But what was that struck his fingers
He looked up.
Overhead hung a bundle Of some sort.
He gave shout.
Evarv ono ruShad IN the SDOt
There, upon the branches hung the
big plaid shawl, full of something solid
and warm. Horrified, the father peep
ed into the bundle.
A little rosy face lay there, and little
voice pipei out:
baby Belle wants to get down."
And down she came into fond, tender
arms, that held her close, while tears
fell over her.
But the first flush of joy being over,
curiosity was aroused.
What hung you up there, Baby Belle p
they asked her.
Il hunged up myself" answered the
child, in her own solemn way. 81 vas
in the gig, and IA big branch took hold
of my shawl. and was hunged up like
a rock-a-by-baby."
The story was quite true. The great
shawl, tied in a firm knot, had caught
on the branch in way that made sort
of hammock of it, and the good angels
had taken care of sweet little Baby
Belle, and the child had not even been
frightened.
Itseems too strange thing to be
true; but it is, nevertheless; and Belle.
now big girl, remembers her roek-a-by-
baby experience to this day.