Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1885-05-08

his sI6ps ana Wnen ne neafea the spring
and still saw no signs Of her coming, an
anxious fear aroused HIM and he shout
ed Christine Christinel" But no an
swering voice responded.
With rapid strides ha reached the
spring and found she was not there.
He saw her footprints in the moist
earth around the water but could trace
no marks Of return.
Thoroughly alarmed, he began to
search the woods in every direction,
calling in frantic tones his daughters
name. +
ooh, God, care for. and protect my
child, " he cried, in his helpless agony,
as, with such feeling of desolation and
sorrow as comes to those who turn from
the grave of a loved one, be left the
forest, knowing that his child, if she
had not been already devoured by some
wild beast, was suffering and helpless
in its dark depths. ~. ,,.st. i
How weary seemed the homeward
way, he thought of the sorrowful news
he was carrying to the watching moth
| er. $'-e
"Ah, here comes Carl" she said, as
she saw her husband appearing IN the
distance. "How tired he is, for his
step is so slow! but do not see Chris
tine. The poor child has grown weary
and fallen behind" :"
AS Carl OLSON drew near, something
in his troubled face and Respondent mir
caused the shadow of great fear to fall
upon the mothers heart. What has
happened, where is Christine?" she
| called out sharply. .#
In broken, half choked words, he told
the story. She had gone at noon to the
spring for water; she did not come back,
and he went to look for her; she had
gone-lost in the woods-and he knew
not where 20 find her.
ooh, Christine, my child! Oh, why
did / let her go?" was the hgonized cry
that came from the mothers pallid lips.
"God rules" was the almost stern
and reverent reply of Carl OLSEN. But
| our neignbors must be told, and we
will search for her in the morning."
Hurriedly drinking a cup of strong
| cotfee-the lunch had gone untusted--
Carl OLSON set forth to arouse the COL
| ony.
Messengers were sent in every direc-
ton, and the news spread rapidly from
cabin to cabin. christine OLSON is lost
in the woods Search must be made for
her in the morning. Meet at Olsson's
| house at SUNRISE"
But what had caused this sudden and
mysterious disappearance Of Christine?
| Following the narrow path crushing
with 81 light step the leaves that strewed
| the way, without any thought of i'm
pending danger, she reached the spring
| that gushed out, sparkling and bright
from little hillside, and, as she stopped
| by the side Of its cool, green margin to
fill her pail with water, she bestowed a
coquettish glance upon the flushed
| cheeks and bright eyes reflected upon
its surface.
! As she turned to retrace her steps. O.
low deep growl sounded near her; and
she beheld in great alright an eror-
nous bear with cub beside her direct
| ~ in tie path and not but a few feet
away.
Again the bear uttered her low angry
growl and her small eyes snapped vi
! couslv as she looked Of Christine, who,
! with a frightened scream. turned and
fled into the woods behind the spring.
On she went in her mad fight, across
fallen trees and through dense under
brush, the sharp thorns and cruel
branches tearing her face and hands in
a. pitiful way.
Still on she went, until at last, almost
fainting and exhausted, she ventured to
look back. ri
1bo ,o4c al
somewhat treasured, but trembling in
every limb, she started to walk around
to the clearing where she had left her
father. Whe didn't lie answer when
she called him, for surely she had walk
ed far enough to reach him?
Papa, papa! where are you, papa?"
was her continual cry as she hurried
along, sometimes running, bruised and
| torn, but never crying.
Thus all the afternoon the poor lost
child kept on in her vain search tor.
father, now Fastening with frantic JOY
as she thoughttshe heard his voice call
ing, now sinking down exhausted and
despairing because she could neither
make him hear nor find him.
One by one the stars came twinkling
father, some startled deer would pause
with foot fuplifted and ear alert, 10
catch the meaning Of this strange, new
voice OF the night, before bounding
away in the darkness; and the fright"
ful screech Of the OWL always hideous
and strange to strong ar nerves, was a
response that would cause the child to
crouch and cover in alright. ~ 2 |
TO Christine's distorted vision. came
every fancy. Each dark shadow was a
hidden beast to spring upon her, and
cleaning eyes lurked in every bush.
Did she really have q father and moth
er who loved her, or was she a
child of the woods, always to
go in this terrible way? With |
each wild fancy, Christine con-
tinued her hopeless wandering through |
the long hours Of that dreadful night,
occasionally breaking the deep solitude |
Of Che forest by tile heart broken cry,
"Papa. @ papa where are your" ~
Long and weary had been the night to
the weeping mother, for sorrows are oil
ways sharper and burdens heavier dur
ing the sleepless hours; but hope re-
vived when, with the first gray dawn of !
the morning, the colonists gathered by
twos and threes, bringing guns and |
dogs ready for search after the lost |
child. There were middle aged men,
heavy and stol id il features, with tarnish
ed knots Of silver IN their ears and wear /
ing immense wooden shoes, long waist
coats and leather breaches. There were
Young men and boys full Of excitement
and each being first to discover the lost |
girl. 1T was decided TO follow OLSON